The dentist's role in smoking cessation management parts 1 and 2 (dent update 2018; 45: 197-206 and 298-309)

Thank you for publishing these two excellent, comprehensive articles on this important subject.

Could I suggest another action that the dental surgeon (or therapist) might take in respect of helping their patients quit? I know that part one ended with the conclusion that sheer will power is insufficient alone to result in a successful quit. However, I am aware of a number of people who have been able to stop smoking merely after reading a book, that of Allen Carr's Easy Way To Stop Smoking (ISBN 978-0-718-19455-0). I first became aware of this book following a conversation a few years ago with one of my patients, and have recommended it on a number of occasions since (it being part of my smoking cessation toolkit!)

For those unfamiliar with the author, he had previously been a very heavy smoker. He asks that readers continue to smoke as they read through the book, that they take their time, and that, by the end of the book, they will want to give up forever. Hard to believe, I know, but it does work for some (and is worth considering, especially when other methods do not appeal to the patient). Although now deceased, clinics dedicated to his system exist all over the world, with information available via audio, DVD, etc. The book has been translated into at least 36 languages in over 50 countries, so I guess it has helped a number of people.