Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Tobacco Cessation Among Indian Dentists

Purpose: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding tobacco cessation among dentists in Hyderabad city, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among 264 dentists registered in the local Indian Dental Association branch, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. The questionnaire comprised of 35 items and used a five-point Likert scale to assess tobacco use prevention and cessation counseling. Results: The majority of the study participants were females (55.7%) with a mean age of 29.9 +/- 7.5 years. No significant gender difference was observed for any of the mean domain scores. A statistically significant difference was noted between age groups in the 'Knowledge' domain, 'professional role and identity' item (P = 0.03) vs the 'Practice' domain, 'social influences' item (P = 0.05) with 40+ years having a higher mean score (6.5 +/- 1.5). In terms of the education, those possessing Bachelor's of Dental Science had a significantly higher mean score (10.8 +/- 2.2) for the 'Attitude' question 'belief about consequences' (P = 0.05) than did those with a Master's degree. The reported barriers were insufficient reimbursement (48.1%), lack of tobacco-related self-help material/pamphlets for patients (46.5%) and lack of patient motivation to receive tobacco cessation counseling (43.6%). Conclusion: In the present study, although dentists possessed knowledge about tobacco cessation, it was not adequate. Dental professionals play an important role in educating patients regarding the oral health risks of tobacco use and motivating them to quit.