Training for dentists in smoking cessation intervention

Although dentists are ideally placed to deliver smoking cessation advice and assistance to their patients, smoking cessation interventions are not often incorporated as a routine part of dental care. Research is needed to identify factors that facilitate and inhibit dentists' capacities to deliver smoking cessation advice.

An initial focus group discussion was conducted in Melbourne with 10 dentists. Six Victorian country dentists were interviewed in depth by telephone. Following this qualitative data collection, a random sample of 250 dentists (response rate of 57 per cent) was interviewed by telephone. Dentists were asked about their perceived role, current practices, knowledge of resources and services and opinions on training in relation to smoking cessation.

Dentists are willing to ask and advise patients about smoking, but are less inclined to assist patients to quit or arrange follow-up. Dentists are more likely to implement one-off, opportunistic interventions rather than take a systematic preventive approach. Dentists are interested in attending further education and say they require training to be relevant to the context of their day-to-day running of the dental practice.

Training should aim to legitimize the dentist's role in smoking cessation and provide strategies and resources so that dentists can practise interventions as part of their day-to-day work.