[Dental students' smoking behavior and their attitude towards smoking]

This study investigated dental students' smoking behavior and their attitudes, in order to provide programs to patients for giving up smoking. A questionnaire survey was conducted on dental students from November 2003 to February 2004. The subjects were 69 third-grade and 80 fifth-grade students of Tokyo Medical and Dental University. The following results were obtained. (1) The smoking rate of dental students was 19.4% (Male: 31.3%, Female: 5.8%). (2) About forty-three percent of the students had started smoking before entering the university. However, most of the students who smoked had started after entering the university. The smoking rate and number of cigarettes smoked of fifth-grade students were significantly higher than those of third-grade students. (3) Dental students recognized the health risks of smoking more than the general public, especially concerning periodontal disease. (4) Only 5.4% of students answered that they would actively provide advice and instructions about the health hazards of tobacco to patients who smoked. (5) The rate of students who answered that they had enough knowledge to conduct smoking cessation programs for patients was 21.5%. (6) Students who smoked showed positive attitudes towards dentists' smoking behaviors and had passive attitudes towards smoking cessation programs conducted by dentists. These results show it is necessary to conduct smoking cessation programs soon after entering university and to provide more lectures on tobacco and health issues as well as practical training programs about giving up smoking in the dental education curriculum.