Do school based anti-smoking campaigns delivered by oral health therapists work?
M A Matias1, S R Steindl, K A Plonka
1School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, 200 Turbot St., Brisbane, QLD 4000. m.matias@uq.edu.au
Background:
The dental profession has a pivotal role in cancer prevention. In Queensland, oral health therapists (OHTs) are in a unique position to provide quality smoking cessation programmes and intervention strategies to young adolescents through the school based oral health services they provide.
Methods:
This study undertook a smoking cessation and prevention programme targeted to female high school students in a dental setting. An oral health therapist delivered an anti-smoking message and educated adolescents of the health-risk effects of smoking.
Results:
A total of 1217 female students were recruited with 621 (51%) in the intervention group and 596 (49%) in the control group. There was a significant improvement in the knowledge of both systemic and oral health effects of smoking in the intervention group (p < 0.04). The results of the study demonstrated that the dental setting is an effective avenue for educating young individuals on smoking related conditions.
Conclusions:
A smoking cessation and prevention programme targeted to female high school students in a dental setting provides a novel means of delivering an anti-smoking message and educating adolescents of the health-risk effects of smoking.
Related Concept Videos
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
Behavior Therapy
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...
Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...


