The aim of this review is to evaluate the main variables and aspects that influence patients' perceptions about dentists as reported in mainstream literature. The literature search was made in PubMed, SciELO and Google Scholar. We found that patients' perceptions rely primarily on their previous experience with the professional, as some people value the professional's technical skills, while others value their communication skills. Among the negative perceptions are the fear of pain and how to handle it, which can limit dental care seeking behaviors, and the availability and cost of dental care. Other factors: age -patient and dentist- and sex, as when patient and dentist are both men or women, the shame and fear of physical contact during the exam is reduced.