title: Tobacco cessation and counseling: a dentists' perspective in Bhopal city, Madhya Pradesh.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental team has high potential to help smokers to better oral/general health but to achieve this; they need to be clear about their role. Considering the importance of tobacco cessation, the authors carried out this study aimed at assessing the role, knowledge, current practices, different barriers, and tools to overcome the same as perceived by dentists in Bhopal city.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered structured, coded questionnaire was distributed to 200 private practitioners and the teaching staff in all the dental colleges in Bhopal city.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 200 dentists to whom questionnaire was administered, 168 responded within a week's time resulting in a high response rate of 84%. A total of 97% of the dentists agreed that it is the duty of every dentist to advice patients about tobacco cessation. A total of 58% strongly agree that formal training will be an effective tool to provide the guidelines to dentists in tobacco cessation and counseling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monitoring of effective planning and execution of these programs by appropriate authorities at regular intervals is vital for successful achievement of the goal of "Tobacco Free Society."
authors: Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, People's Dental Academy, Bhopal Madhya Pradesh, India. shanthiamit@rediffmail.com
authors: Shanthi
authors: S
authors: Amit
authors: Ajay
authors: A
authors: Bhambal
authors: Vrinda
authors: V
authors: Saxena
authors: Sakeena
authors: S
authors: Basha
authors: Sudhanshu
authors: S
authors: Saxena
authors: Amit
authors: A
authors: Vanka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000379:methods*; D003815:Dentists; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020340:Tobacco Use Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult