Promotion of Tobacco Cessation Through Dental Hygiene Education: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The purposes of this pilot study were as follows: 1) to determine the percentage and frequency of dental hygiene graduates who were providing tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) activities, after receiving TCC training during their formative years of education; 2) to identify the graduates' stages of change using the transtheoretical model regarding TCC; and 3) to identify factors influencing the delivery of TCC. A convenience sample of fifty-one Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU) dental hygiene graduates were surveyed in this study. Wilcoxen signed rank tests were used to analyze the relationship between counseling actions and dental hygienists' stage of change in four TCC activities: asking, advising, assisting, and arranging follow-up. Pros and cons affecting the delivery of TCC were also examined. Findings indicate that dental hygienists who received TCC education during their training do not provide cessation counseling to a high percentage of their patients even though they believe in the value of such activity. However, dental hygienists are more likely to provide TCC to patients with periodontal disease than other dental patients. Conclusions: 1) addressing the potential frustration of the dental hygienist and coping methods when providing TCC during training may alleviate one of the barriers to TCC; 2) ready access to tobacco education materials may alleviate one of the barriers to TCC; and 3) emphasis during TCC training on providing education for all patients as part of health promotion, rather than just periodontal patients, may increase the overall counseling provided.

Tooth loss in treated periodontitis patients responsible for their supportive care arrangements

“…The effectiveness of tobacco cessation counseling in the dental office has been reviewed, and an expectation of a 10-15% quit rate among tobacco using patients has been postulated (Warnakulasuriya 2002). Quit smoking strategies are being introduced to dental hygiene education and continuing education (Ramseier 2003, Monson & Engeswick 2005 with some reported effectiveness. Training for the hygienists on smoking cessation strategies in the Periodontology Clinic which would offer SPC to Regular SPC at three-monthly intervals is held out as making good for deficiencies in personal plaque control and poorer treatment responses (Ramfjord et al 1982).…”

Tooth loss in treated periodontitis patients responsible for their supportive care arrangements

“…The effectiveness of tobacco cessation counselling in the dental office has been reviewed, and an expectation of a 10–15% quit rate among tobacco using patients has been postulated (Warnakulasuriya 2002). Quit‐smoking strategies are being introduced to dental hygiene education and continuing education (Ramseier 2003, Monson & Engeswick 2005) with some reported effectiveness. Training for the hygienists on smoking cessation strategies in the Periodontology Clinic that would offer SPC to treated periodontitis patients has commenced as a necessary prelude to the targeting of continuing smoking, periodontally treated periodontitis patients for clinic‐based SPC recalls.…”

Attitudes of Irish dental, dental hygiene and dental nursing students and newly qualified practitioners to tobacco use cessation: a national survey

“…Two recent Scandinavian studies have shown that about 60% of Norwegian dental hygienists give TUC advice to patients (12) while 73% of Swedish dental hygienists see TUC advice as a part of their work (13). In contrast, >90% of dental hygiene students in a US college saw TUC counselling as a duty (14) while 88% of recent dental hygiene graduates in the US believed strongly that they could be effective in helping patients to quit tobacco use (15). A random survey of US dental hygienists showed that 77% asked patients about current and former tobacco use while 80% agreed that dental hygienists should be trained to provide TUC advice (16).…”