Policies and practices of European dental schools in relation to smoking: the place of tobacco education in the undergraduate dental curriculum.

A postal questionnaire was used to ascertain policies and practices of European dental schools in relation to smoking and the teaching of the relationship of smoking to the aetiology and primary prevention or oral cancer. A majority of responding schools taught the role of smoking in the aetiology of oral cancer. A majority expected students to take smoking histories from patients. Half of schools taught anti-smoking advice to students and half expected students to impart such advice to patients. A majority banned smoking in clinical and non-clinical teaching facilities and associated public access areas. There is scope for considerable improvement in curricula in relation to anti-smoking counselling and in the practices of schools in expecting students to act as tobacco counsellors.