Perspectives of the dentists on smoking cessation in Hong Kong

Abstract

Objectives. To describe dentists’ current practices in conducting smoking cessation counseling and to investigate factors associated with an active role in such counseling in Hong Kong. Methods. A mailed questionnaire survey was conducted on a random sample of 484 Hong Kong dentists. Information on beliefs, attitudes, and confidence of the dentists towards smoking cessation counseling, current practices, and perceived barriers to such counseling, as well as personal information about the dentists were collected. Results. A total of 211 dentists completed the questionnaires. More than half of the respondents (55%) asked and recorded patient smoking status routinely in their practices. Among them, over 90% advised smokers to quit and explained the associated health risks to them. Less than half (47%) assessed each patient’s willingness to attempt quitting. Around one third of the dentists provided printed resources to patients about smoking cessation (37%), assisted patients in smoking cessation (38%), and arranged follow-ups (36%). Multiple logistic regression showed that dentists who were female (odds ratio=3.5, P=0.001), graduated in Hong Kong (odds ratio=3.6, P<0.001), and had received training related to smoking cessation (odds ratio=7.3, P<0.001) had a significantly higher chance of asking and recording the patients’ smoking status. The top three barriers perceived by the dentists in conducting smoking cessation counseling were lack of patient motivation, lack of time in the consultation, and lack of smoking cessation protocols and guidelines. Conclusions. Smoking cessation counseling activities were not actively carried out by dentists in Hong Kong. Factors associated with dentists who asked and recorded the patient’s smoking status were gender, place of graduation, and receipt of relevant training. patient’s smoking status were gender, place of graduation, and receipt of relevant training.