Stopping smoking – how dentists can drill home the message: preliminary findings of a six-month pilot study
Joan Chapman, Team Leader Stop Smoking Service, Middlesbrough PCT, UK

Abstract
It is common knowledge that smoking can seriously affect general health but the detrimental effects of smoking on oral health are less widely known. The most significant effects of smoking on the oral cavity are: increased risks of oral cancer; increased severity of periodontal diseases and poor wound healing. Therefore, advising patients to stop smoking is as much an issue for dentists as it is for other healthcare professionals. Dental teams regularly provide routine dental care for about 60% of the population and consequently are ideally placed to influence and motivate patients to stop smoking.  

Many dental practices in Teesside make a major contribution by providing brief advice and signposting smokers who wish to quit to PCT stop smoking services. However, as part of our strategy to expand stop stopping service capacity; nine practices were commissioned to provide an in-house stop smoking service.

Dental nurses assess smokers’ needs, facilitate the supply of nicotine replacement products and provide on-going support via a community pharmacy voucher scheme.  

The presentation will outline the process undertaken to establish the pilot project, report interim data analysis (including 4 and 12 week quit rates) and share lessons learned.