What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess undergraduate dental students' baseline knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and preparedness regarding tobacco cessation, and to evaluate the impact of structured cessation training interventions.

August 11, 2026Nicotine & Tobacco ResearchOpen Access

Tobacco cessation training for undergraduate dental students: a systematic review

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Authors

SPScott PegusUniversity College London MMMasuma Pervin MishuUniversity College London

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Implication

Systematic review shows structured training improves tobacco cessation skills in dental undergraduates, suggesting benefits of early curriculum integration.

Key Points

To assess undergraduate dental students' baseline knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and preparedness regarding tobacco cessation, and to evaluate the impact of structured cessation training interventions.
Searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central (January 2016–July 2025) according to PRISMA guidelines for quantitative studies involving undergraduate dental students.
Identified 13 eligible studies (7 cross-sectional and 6 interventional) and synthesized baseline status and post-training outcomes narratively.
At baseline (n ≈ 2,851), students exhibited modest knowledge (37%–52%; median ≈49%), low preparedness (26%–44%), and low formal training exposure (~12%), despite highly positive attitudes toward cessation counseling (83%–99%; median ≈93%).
Structured training (2–12 hours) led to short-term improvements: knowledge increased by +24 to +57 percentage points, counseling skills by +25 to +30 percentage points, attitudes by +8 to +15 percentage points, and confidence rose (including +26.7 percentage points in one study), supported by low to very low certainty evidence.

Cite This Study

Pegus et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aaf8c178201a89dcc776198 https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntag163

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Implication

Systematic review shows structured training improves tobacco cessation skills in dental undergraduates, suggesting benefits of early curriculum integration.

Tobacco cessation training for undergraduate dental students: a systematic review

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Tobacco cessation training for undergraduate dental students: a systematic review

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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