I published a peer reviewed paper on the notion that often so-called informal fallacies (like the appeal to authority) are not, in fact, fallacious: https://philpapers.org/rec/BOUTFT

Of course you keep going to the dentist, in part, because of your positive experience. But you started because he was an authority, and most certainly did not choose him initially “regardless of his credentials.” Authorities are not to be taken as infallible, just as our best initial bet.

I don’t listen to the Pope because I don’t recognize his authority on anything other than theological matters within the Catholic Church. And I’m not a Catholic.