Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year
: 2015  |  Volume : 13  |  Issue : 3  |  Page : 254--258

Awareness on smoking cessation counseling among dentists in Kerala, India


Benley George1, Vinod Mathew Mulamoottil1, Sunu Alice Cherian1, Jacob John2, T Aby Mathew3, Shibu Thomas Sebastian1 
1 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, Thiruvalla, Kerala, India
2 Department of Orthodontics, Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, Thiruvalla, Kerala, India
3 Department of Prosthodontics, Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, Thiruvalla, Kerala, India

Correspondence Address:
Benley George
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, Medicity, Perumthuruthy, Thiruvalla - 689 107, Kerala
India

Introduction: Although dentists are ideally placed to deliver smoking cessation advice and assistance to their patients, smoking cessation interventions are not often incorporated as a routine part of dental care. Aim: To assess the awareness on smoking cessation counseling among dental practitioners in Kerala. Materials and Methods: A pretested questionnaire was used for the study. Four hundred and sixteen registered dentists practicing all over Kerala participated in the survey. Results: Dentists are willing to ask and advise patients about smoking, but are less inclined to assist patients to quit or arrange follow-up. Dentists are more likely to implement one-off, opportunistic interventions rather than take a systematic preventive approach. Dentists are interested in attending further education and say they require training to be relevant to the context of their day-to-day running of the dental practice. Conclusions: Training should aim to legitimize the dentist�SQ�s role in smoking cessation and provide strategies and resources so that dentists can practice interventions as part of their day-to-day work.


How to cite this article:
George B, Mulamoottil VM, Cherian SA, John J, Mathew T A, Sebastian ST. Awareness on smoking cessation counseling among dentists in Kerala, India.J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent 2015;13:254-258


How to cite this URL:
George B, Mulamoottil VM, Cherian SA, John J, Mathew T A, Sebastian ST. Awareness on smoking cessation counseling among dentists in Kerala, India. J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent [serial online] 2015 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];13:254-258
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/aphd/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2015;volume=13;issue=3;spage=254;epage=258;aulast=George;type=0