An innovative tobacco use cessation program for military dental clinics.
Tobacco use is the chief avoidable cause of death and illness in our society. Military leaders are concerned with rising medical costs and the related negative effects on combat readiness associated with tobacco use. Tobacco use cessation (TUC) programs available in the military services have not reached their full potential. Dental officers have an opportunity to assume a more active role as first-line providers in TUC programs. This paper presents a model TUC program for use in military dental clinics. It emphasizes the dentist's role in directly prescribing pharmacologic agents in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) combined with appropriate patient counseling. Other key elements of this TUC program include the non-threatening manner in which patients are offered access to TUC, its convenience when compared with other programs, and the minimal cost to implement this program.
Covington
Lemuel L
LL
Southeast Regional Dental Command, Fort Gordon, GA, USA.
Breault
Lawrence G
LG
O'Brien
John J
JJ
Hatfield
Cathy H
CH
Vasquez
Shana M
SM
Lutka
Robert W
RW
D016642:Bupropion / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008885:Military Dentistry; D008889:Military Personnel; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D020340:Tobacco Use Cessation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000628:therapy*
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D016642:Bupropion; D009538:Nicotine