Tobacco use and eligibility for lung cancer screening among dental patients at an academic institution in Houston, Texas.

Abstract

Tobacco use negatively impacts oral and general health and influences dental treatment outcomes. To advance prevention, we surveyed dental patients at an academic institution to characterize their history of tobacco use and eligibility for lung cancer screening (LCS). Anonymous surveys were administered to adult dental patients at the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry between April 2022 and October 2022. Surveys collected information on smoking history, pack-year history, health literacy, personal and family history of lung cancer, and previous LCS. Demographic variables included age, gender, race/ethnicity, and education level. Among 432 patients (mean age: 46.4, range 18-88 years, 57.0 % female), 22.7 % were patients who currently smoked cigarettes, and 13.2 % were patients who formerly smoked. Smoking rates were highest among males (36.2 %) and patients younger than 50 (26.0 %). Among patients who currently smoked, 44.1 % met eligibility for LCS based on age and a 20+ pack-year smoking history; 43.2 % of patients who formerly smoked were eligible for LCS. A substantial proportion of patients are eligible for LCS; tailored cessation counseling and electronic-referral pathways could impact screening and cessation support for millions of high-risk adults who visit a dentist each year, closing a critical gap in cancer prevention.