Publication:

Role of dentists in supporting the WHO MPOWER tobacco control strategy: a review

Tobacco use continues to pose a significant global public health challenge and is linked to numerous oral diseases, such as periodontal disease, delayed wound healing, oral potentially malignant disorders, and oral cancer. Dentists are uniquely positioned to promote tobacco cessation within routine clinical practice. This review evaluates the role of dentists in supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) MPOWER tobacco control strategy and summarizes current evidence on tobacco cessation interventions in dental settings. Articles published between 2009 and 2025 were identified through searches in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and BMC Public Health using keywords related to dentists, tobacco cessation, MPOWER, oral health, tobacco use, dental professionals, and WHO strategies. Thirty articles meeting the eligibility criteria were included, and their findings were synthesized according to the six components of the WHO MPOWER strategy. The literature indicates that dentists generally have sufficient knowledge of the harmful effects of tobacco and maintain positive attitudes toward tobacco cessation counseling. Nevertheless, implementation of cessation interventions remains inconsistent due to inadequate training, limited consultation time, lack of institutional support, insufficient referral systems, and, in some contexts, tobacco use among dental professionals. Dentists can make a substantial contribution to tobacco control by incorporating evidence-based tobacco cessation interventions into routine dental practice. Enhancing undergraduate education, continuing professional training, institutional support, and integration of dental services with national tobacco control programs may further strengthen their contribution to the WHO MPOWER strategy.