A review of tobacco cessation services for youth in the dental clinic.

Tobacco use is one of the leading preventable causes of illness and death. The most powerful predictor of adult smoking is smoking during adolescence. While general and pediatric dentists have a positive attitude regarding tobacco cessation counseling, the same is not extrapolated into practice. Several barriers to counseling in the dental clinic have been identified and research into some of these has been conducted. Evidence-based cessation programs are still in the nascent stage, but this should not hinder dental professionals from rendering these services to the child and adolescent populations. Brief interventions, self-help materials, and nicotine replacement therapy for established nicotine dependence form the mainstay of therapy. The purpose of this paper is to identify the several barriers encountered in providing cessation and discuss the current status of its implementation in the dental clinic.