Substance Use Screening Among Adolescents: National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Survey

To conduct a national survey of practicing dentists assessing their current knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors related to substance use screening implementation among their adolescent patients.

This study was a cross-sectional, regionally representative, electronic survey of 751 practicing dentist members of the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. The survey instrument, the Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) Screening Survey assessed dentists' knowledge, opinions, and current practice behaviors related to screening for substance use (i.e., tobacco/nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, and illicit drug) disorders, offering brief counseling regarding substance use behaviors, and referring patients for treatment related to their substance use.

Survey respondents were predominantly male (61%), White (67%), and in a private practice setting (81%). Fewer than half of dentists (40.5%) reported screening for adolescent nicotine/tobacco use at least annually, whereas approximately one-third of dentists reported screening at least annually for other substances of abuse. Approximately, half of dentists who screen reported never providing counseling/education regarding adolescents' positive screens for alcohol (48.5%), cannabis (52.7%), and illicit drug use (55.4%). Rates of referral to specialty care were low. Associations between barriers, stigma, and practice behaviors are reported.

This is the first national study of dentists' SUD screening, counseling and referral practices among adolescent patients. Although current rates are low, a substantial proportion of dentists indicated willingness to screen, counsel and refer adolescents for SUD and endorsed surprisingly low rates of stigma and high ratings of relevance to their practice.