Dental care professionals’ role in helping patients quit tobacco

Dental care professionals are in a unique position to advise patients on the effects of tobacco use on oral health during a routine patient examination. Compared with other health professionals, dental professionals’ nature of work can help identify early signs of tobacco use. Some dental treatments require several visits for longer duration, giving the dentists and hygienist an advantage over other health professionals to monitor the smoking behaviour pattern and provide cessation advice. Dentists and dental hygienists are in a poised position to provide oral health advice, which includes cessation advice, in order to help patients quit; however, their role is under-used. Tobacco cessation advice may not be viewed as an integral part of the dental care plan because of the perceived barriers that obstruct cessation advice in dental practices.