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Stop smoking service at the Eastman
22nd Nov 2006
The EDH’s Mary Hartley at the launch with Dr Barry Cockcroft
England’s first smoking cessation service for patients based in a dental setting has been launched at the Eastman Dental Hospital (EDH). Chief Dental Officer Barry Cockcroft launched the facility at EDH late last month. He praised the service saying it was ‘fantastically impressive’ and would be vital in tackling the increasing incidences of oral cancer in young people. He then went on to cut a cake to mark the occasion with the help of Mary Hartley, the first staff member at the Eastman to use the service. Also in attendance was The British Dental Association’s (BDA) chief executive Peter Ward. During his presentation on the dentist’s role in smoking cessation, he said: ‘Dental teams are in a unique position and have the opportunity to examine patients regularly and carry out screening for the diseases caused by smoking. ‘It gives me great pleasure to be here today at the launch of this fantastic initiative and to offer the BDA’s absolute support with this huge and very important scheme.’ The service aims to help patients quit smoking by focusing on how it affects their oral health and quality of life. Richard Welfare, clinical director at EDH, said: ‘Smoking is key to the oral health of patients and it is also a fact that their treatment does not work so well if they are smokers.’ Patients participating in dental treatment at the Eastman and wanting to quit smoking will be referred to the dental hospital’s new specialist cessation clinic. There patients will receive four to six weeks of support from a stop smoking nurse specialist. This will require patients to attend EDH once a week every Tuesday. It is expected that the service’s availability will increase with patient demand.
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