Attitudes of dentists towards tobacco intervention for children and adolescents

Objectives: The aim of this study was to obtain information concerning the attitudes of dentists regarding their role in tobacco intervention for children and adolescent patients. Methods: A 1-page containing 10 questions was distributed to dentists who live in Istanbul. Our study sample was from Dental Faculty of Istanbul University, private clinics, and governmental dental hospitals. Chi-square analysis was used to analyze data. Results: Of the 316 respondents, only %7 had ever received training in tobacco cessation counselling. Although dentists agreed that they should play a role in tobacco intervention (% 45) with their young patients, the majority was not comfortable with this task. Dentists who do not smoke were likely to accept their role in tobacco prevention and more confident in their ability to do so than their non- smoker colleagues (x2:17,69 p<0,05). Finally, dentists consider tobacco cessation an important role in their practices, but not consider themselves well prepared to act on their responsibility. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that more dentists has to be trained in tobacco cessation techniques.