Purpose:

  To evaluate parental acceptance of provision of tobacco cessation and prevention education to children and parents by private practice pediatric dentists.

 Methods:

  Receptionists gave confidential questionnaires to parents of child dental patients in five private pediatric dentistry practices. Demographic information and questions about dentist interventions were asked, with the most intrusive questions concerning parental tobacco use.

 Results:

  Ninety-four percent (234) of parents responded. Over 90 percent of parents favored dentists speaking to 1) the child on the dangers of tobacco use and the benefits of avoiding tobacco, 2) parents about the effects of tobacco use on their children, and 3) parents about cessation. Among tobacco-using parents, 76 percent favored interventions directed at child tobacco use and warnings about adult smoking and children, dropping to 59 percent favoring dentist provisions of cessation education to parents. Users were less approving than nonusers on both parental interventions (P=.001).

 Conclusions:

  Parents showed high acceptance of various levels of tobacco interventions by pediatric dentists in private practice. Tobacco users, however, were less accepting than nonusers. Pediatric dentists may be more willing to provide such messages with this information, but they may also need training to prepare themselves to handle negative reactions.

 Source: Journal of American Academy of ‍ Pediatric Dentistry

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