Page 70 - TAIWAN TOBACCO CONTROL ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Participating in the Smoking Cessation Services" since October 2013 to provide training courses for dentists. Such that dentists could participate in smoking cessation services and further expands the locations and service volumes of cessation services, improves convenience, accessibility and effectiveness of cessation services, and raise smoking-cessation rate. Since May 1, 2014, the HPA has announced that dentists formally are part of the smoking cessation service team. Training program was divided into 2 levels, namely "Basic - Cessation Treatment" and "Advanced - Cessation Education". The basic-level course with 9 hours covered: nicotine addiction and withdrawal symptoms, hazards of tobacco products and benefits of smoking cessation, clinical techniques for treating dependence on tobacco products, drug therapies for smoking cessation, case studies, smoking and oral health, dentist participation and support in smoking cessation efforts, second generation cessation services and tobacco control, and details on subsidy programs for smoking cessation services offered by healthcare institutions. The advanced-level course with 15-hours included: empirical studies and guidelines for smoking cessation, practical counseling for smoking cessation, social support for smoking cessation, procedure and stages for behavioral change, communication techniques for smoking cessation counseling, helpline counseling techniques for smoking cessation, extra-curricular practical training for the Taiwan Smokers' Helpline (TSH), handling psychological and social reliance - stress and interpersonal relationships, preventing from recurrences, practical training for smoking cessation clinics and Taiwan Smokers' Helpline. In 2018, a total of 5 basic-level and 3 advanced-level training sessions were provided. Of which, a total of 280 trainees completed basic-level training while 52 trainees completed advanced- level training. Overall, more than 80% of the trainees were satisfied with the training courses. As of 2018, a total of 2,392 dentists have drug therapy qualifications and 945 have participated in health education training courses to ensure the provision of convenient, accessible, and effective smoking cessation services for the public, increase smoking cessation rates, and decrease oral cancer incidence rates. In addition, it is difficult for lay people to detect early stages of periodontal disease which may lead to tooth loss and systemic diseases affecting the whole body. They tend to neglect oral and periodontal health risks that smoking and betel nut chewing pose and their effect on the success rate of periodontal treatment and implants. The Health Promotion Administration, the Department of Mental and Oral Health of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Taiwan Academy of Periodontology, the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and the Taiwan Academy of Oral Pathology have therefore issued a joint appeal to reject tobacco products and betel nut, seek professional help, and undergo regular oral cancer screening in a press conference. To provide theoretical and practical course materials, the HPA specifically developed 3 manuals, "User Manual for Smoking Cessation Medical Professionals in Dental Outpatient Services," "Manual on the Techniques of Smoking Cessation Counseling," and "Self-Help Manual on Practical Case Studies." Of which, the target of "User Manual for Smoking Cessation Medical Professionals in Dental Outpatient Services" and "Manual on the Techniques of Smoking Cessation Counseling" were for dentists. The contents of these manuals included 5A, 5R, clinical smoking cessation counseling techniques, introduction to smoking cessation medication and use, and clinical case studies. "Self-Help Manual on Practical Case Studies" mainly targeted smokers who intend to quit smoking. The contents included: personal smoking cessation plans, benefits of smoking cessation, tactics for smoking cessation, and information about cessation services. 68