Assessment of tobacco cessation activities in the dental settings- A short survey study of 114 responses

A questionnaire survey designed for a population study to assess the tobacco cessation activities carried out in a dental setting.1) To assess the approach followed by dental doctors toward tobacco cessation activities in the dental setting. 2) To understand the barriers (if any) faced by the dentists in conducting tobacco cessation activities. To achieve the aforementioned objectives, a cross-sectional research study was designed to gather information on the approach toward tobacco cessation in a dental setting. This questionnaire was further circulated through diverse WhatsApp groups and through posts on social media sites to obtain responses. Although screening for tobacco-related habits in a dental setting is crucial, only around 40% of the survey respondents reported having “always” (5 out of 5 cases) screened for tobacco-related habits. Nearly 49% of the survey respondent, lacked basic tobacco-related IEC material like banners, posters, demonstration videos, or help books required for patient sensitization. About 64% of respondents reported that they had never attended any tobacco cessation workshops while around 85% of respondents were willing to attend tobacco cessation workshops in near future. The article highlights the role of dentists in the screening of tobacco-related habits. It emphasizes the need for improved IEC/BCC activities to curb the tobacco pandemic. Catering to training needs and sensitization of the dental workforce for effective management of tobacco cases is also being pinpointed. The development of exclusive guidelines or templates for screening forms a major crux of the study.