Survey of patient opinion on tobacco cessation counseling and services in a dental teaching institution and hospital.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to assess the opinion of dental patients who use tobacco towards receiving tobacco cessation counseling and services in a dental college and hospital setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive survey method using a structured questionnaire was used in this study. Participants were patients attending The Oxford Dental College, Hospital, and Research Center, Bengaluru, India. Each patient in the clinic waiting room was asked by the investigator to complete a 29-item self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis using Fisher's exact tests were used for statistical analysis of the data.

RESULTS: Ninety-six percent (n = 770) of tobacco users had previously attempted to quit tobacco and 95.7% were willing to quit. Sixteen percent (n = 132) of respondents reported that they currently used tobacco. About 83% of tobacco users agreed that the student dentist should ask patients whether or not they use tobacco, 79.4% agreed that the student dentist should advise tobacco users to quit, and 81.4% agreed that student dentists should offer information on quitting tobacco to patients who want to quit. Only 12.5% (n = 100) of the patients who use tobacco were aware of the community resources available to quit tobacco.

CONCLUSION: This study shows that patients expect and felt comfortable with receiving tobacco cessation counseling services by oral health professionals in a dental hospital setting.