Winter 22–23 www.nvda.org 15 Featured Article 1. Establish relationships with each state’s quitline to gather accurate data on quitline referrals by dentists and other dental team members. 2. Facilitate a survey by state associations to understand quitline referrals by their members. 3. Increase tobacco and vaping cessation counseling and referral to quitlines. There needs to be more information on a dentist’s role in tobacco cessation, including a direct correlation between dentist referrals to the quitline. In addition, many U.S. dentists need to familiarize themselves with a quitline or how to counsel their patients regarding tobacco cessation to improve the overall health of their patients. JADA Investigation Cover Story in January 2022 concluded that receiving smoking-cessation advice from a dental care professional was associated with more attempts to quit smoking abstinence beyond six months. (JADA, 2022) The study used data from a survey from 2015–2018 that used an observational study design from data for the National Health and Nutrition examination survey. The sample size was 1,024. Eighteen years and older were current or former smokers who quit smoking in the last month and reported a dental visit within the previous 12 months. In addition, 44.6% received smoking cessation advice from a dental care professional. The conclusion was that receiving smoking cessation advice from a dental care professional was associated with more attempts to quit smoking abstinence beyond six months. The research was limited due to self-reporting data (recall and bias). In addition, this was a cross-sectional study, so temporality (temporality refers to the idea of a linear progression of past, present, and future or directionality—relating to or indicating the direction in which someone or something is situated, moving, or developing) was not present. The ADA offers online courses for tobacco cessation. For example, one course by Dr. Larry Williams titled “Tobacco Policy, Pharmacotherapy, and Dentistry” has a well-structured, step-by-step approach to helping our tobacco user patients. Another course titled “E-cigarettes and Vaping: Current Trends, Neurobiology, Cessation, and the Role of the Dental Professional” by Nicholas Chadi, MD, MPH, and Neeta Chandwani, DDS, MscD (pediatrician from Boston) is another well-sourced online course an ADA member can watch. Both online courses are available on the ADA CE Online website. In addition, the ADA currently has the 5 A’s to help our patients. 1. Ask—Identify and document the tobacco use status of every patient at every visit. (You may wish to develop your own vital signs sticker based on the sample below.) 2. Advise—In a clear, strong, and personalized manner, urge every tobacco user to quit. 3. Assess—Is the tobacco user willing to make a quit attempt now? 4. Assist—For the patient willing to make a quit attempt, use counseling and pharmacotherapy to help them quit. (See Counseling Patients to Quit and pharmacotherapy information in this packet.) »
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