As oral health care professionals:

• We have interviewing skills
  • Ability to assess patient tobacco use and motivation to quit
• We have educating skills
  • We can relate tobacco use to medical and dental conditions and treatment results
• We have motivating skills
  • The trust and rapport we build with our patients is essential to help change behavior
• We have counseling skills
  • Listening, encouraging, and supporting skills
• The patient follow-up procedures have always been an important part of dental practice
• A system in the office / clinic can be brief, simple and does not need to disrupt the practice routine.
• Expanding our professional skills to include tobacco use cessation is an excellent practice builder. This service can strengthen the office / clinic-patient bond and lead to increased patient referrals.
• Helping patients to free themselves of their addiction is extremely rewarding and can give the dental team members a deep sense of satisfaction. Brief tobacco cessation interventions may take only a small amount of office time, but when successful, may greatly improve disease and treatment prognoses while adding years and improved quality to patients' lives.

Some health care professionals:

• Don't believe it is their area of responsibility...But tobacco use is a significant oral health problem
• Are concerned patients will complain / or leave their practice...But patients appreciate the help and concern if approached in a low-key, nonjudgemental, and sensitive manner.
• Think it takes too much time...But interventions can be brief, simple and do not need to disrupt the practice routine.
• Feel that they can't be reimbursed for this service...But fees can be included in initial exam or treatment services, or if more time is spent, separately charged.
• Are concerned about effectiveness of the program...But don't see efficacy of multiple interventions.
• Feel uncomfortable because of lack of training...But this is slowly beginning to change.