Is an atom a dipole due to its positive and negative charges?

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Can an atom be considered as an example of a dipole? It has positive charge in the nucleus and negative charge around it. So, can't it act as a dipole?
 
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No. In the absence of an external electric field an isolated atom does not carry any electric dipole moment. The electron has equal probability of being on one side of the nucleus or the other.

The absence of an electric dipole moment is one of the shortcomings of the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohr_model

On the other hand, an external electric field can shift the electron distribution and thus induce a small electric dipole.
 

Thread 'Instantaneous dipole moment and orbitals'

Hi. I have got question as in title. How can idea of instantaneous dipole moment for atoms like, for example hydrogen be consistent with idea of orbitals? At my level of knowledge London dispersion forces are derived taking into account Bohr model of atom. But we know today that this model is not correct. If it would be correct I understand that at each time electron is at some point at radius at some angle and there is dipole moment at this time from nucleus to electron at orbit. But how...
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