Areca cessation and dentists in Harrow (North London).

Aim: To assess dentists' awareness and provision of areca cessation counselling to patients in general dental practices in Harrow (North London) in 2007.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, questionnaires with specific questions and a space for free comments were sent to all 150 general dentists in the Primary Care Trust NHS Harrow area on 1st June 2007. The questionnaires had been piloted and the study was given ethical approval by Harrow Research Ethics Committee. Completed questionnaires were assessed to determine dentists' provision of areca cessation counselling to dental patients. Free comments were assessed for content and meaning.

Results: A response rate of 57% (83/150 dentists) was obtained. Dentists were nearly twice as likely to neglect to provide patients with areca cessation counselling (32.5%) than to neglect to provide tobacco cessation counselling (16.9%). Dentists' comments revealed a lack of awareness and the materials and support needed to counsel patients in areca cessation.

Conclusions: The majority of dentists who took part in this study require increased training, support and materials to facilitate awareness of areca nut use in the community and cessation counselling for patients.