CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
The role of oral health professionals in tobacco use prevention and tobacco cessation
 
 
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1
National Committee for Oral Health, Greece
 
2
Hellenic Dental Association, Greece
 
 
Publication date: 2024-10-17
 
 
Tob. Prev. Cessation 2024;10(Supplement 1):A72
 
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ABSTRACT
The World Health Organization has advocated the integration of smoking prevention or cessation programs into routine oral health care since it brings extensive benefits to oral health. By tobacco cessation, patients are less prone to the progression of periodontal disease, have less future tooth loss, and have reduced risks of oral mucosal lesions and head and neck cancers. Evidence indicates that dentists are in a favorable position to deliver effective smoking prevention or cessation advice to improve patients’ oral health. The Hellenic Dental Association (HDA), representing 12000 oral health care professionals, fully accepts its role in implementing the above-mentioned principles and, therefore, actively participates in the national and international tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The actions already taken are the following; “Train the trainer program”. The program was developed in 2020 by the FDI (Federation Dentaire International) task force and aims to empower oral healthcare providers to implement tobacco cessation methods. One of the task force members, Dr. E. Stoufi, PhD, adapted the program specifically for HDA. HDA successfully implemented two “train the trainer” workshops in collaboration with Athens and Thessaloniki in 2021. Since then, many local dental societies have successfully organized scientific sessions and public awareness events in collaboration with municipal authorities. Furthermore, a tobacco cessation course was incorporated into the curriculum of preventive dentistry at the National Dental School (EKPA). HDA plans to develop additional educational material targeting the prevention of the use of vaping and cannabinol products, especially in the adolescent population. Our aim is to encourage every oral health provider to participate in the tobacco use prevention and the tobacco cessation chain.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The author has no conflicts of interest to declare.
FUNDING
Funding is not provided.
eISSN:2459-3087
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