IADR Abstract Archives

General Dentists' Attitudes and Behaviors Related to Tobacco Control

Objectives: In 2000 the CDC published the Clinical Practice Guideline for the treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence recommending all health professionals help patients be tobacco-free by using the “Five As Approach” (i.e., ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange). We surveyed general dentists' attitudes and behaviors to determine the extent the 2000 Guideline was being applied.

Methods: In 2005-2006, a 74-item tobacco survey, embedded in a larger survey of preventive dental practices, was mailed to a random sample of 410 general dentists who were Delta Dental Providers in CA, PA, or WV. Behaviors related to tobacco control were assessed and frequency distributions tabulated with exact binomial 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: Of 410 questionnaires mailed, 265 (65%) were returned. Most respondents were White (79%), male (86%) and had practiced at least 15 years (74%); 58% agreed intervening with tobacco users is an important part of their role as a dentist. Among the respondent dentists who reported often/almost always doing the following (n=248 ), more than two-thirds verbally asked patients about tobacco use (74%, 95% CI: 68-79%) and advised users to quit (78%, 95% CI: 73-83%). Less than a quarter assessed readiness to quit (19%, 95% CI: 15-25%). About a third assisted with cessation by talking about ways to quit or cut down tobacco (39%, 95% CI: 33-45%), or recommending nicotine replacement therapy (35%, 95% CI: 30-42%). Only 20% provided written materials on quitting; less than 10% assessed depression symptoms, prescribed buproprion, helped set a quit date, referred to a telephone quitline, or to another external cessation program. Finally, only 3.7% (95% CI: 1.8-6.8%) arranged follow-up.

Conclusion: Although many dentists are asking and advising about tobacco use, assessing, assisting, and arranging follow-up are not fully consistent with the 2000 Clinical Practice Guideline.

Research supported by USDHHS/NIDA&NIDCR R01DEO1569-04 and Delta Dental of California.


IADR/CADR General Session
2008 IADR/CADR General Session (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2008
80
Oral Health Research
  • Heckman, Barbara  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Gansky, Stuart  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Weintraub, Jane  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Silverstein, Steve  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Kavanagh, Catherine  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
  • Walsh, Margaret  ( University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA )
    • Oral Session
    Oral Health Promotion, Tobacco Use
    07/02/2008