Alcohol screening in dental patients: the prevalence of hazardous drinking and patients' attitudes about screening and advice.

BACKGROUND

Because heavy drinking is a risk factor for oral cancer, dentists should screen patients for alcohol use. The authors investigated heavy drinking in dental patients and patients' attitudes about alcohol screening.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 408 patients attending an emergency walk-in dental clinic served as subjects. Patients completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C (AUDIT-C), a three-item alcohol screening test, and an opinion survey regarding attitudes about the acceptability of alcohol screening and counseling by dentists.

RESULTS

One in four patients had positive screening results for heavy alcohol use. The majority of subjects (> 75 percent) were in support of dentists' inquiries and advice about alcohol use. Age, sex and drinking status were not predictive of patients' opinions about alcohol screening.

CONCLUSIONS

One hundred three of the dental patients exhibited evidence of hazardous alcohol consumption, a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer. The majority of patients reported that they would readily accept alcohol screening and alcohol counseling by dentists.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Because studies have shown that some dentists hesitate to screen for alcohol use because of a belief that screening is unacceptable to patients, these results may encourage a change in practice.