The Effectiveness of the UMAR Module in Improving Dentists' Knowledge and Attitude in Delivering Smoking Cessation Interventions to Adult Patients: A Pre-post Evaluation

Dentists are well-suited to provide smoking cessation interventions, as they can educate patients about the adverse effects of smoking on oral health. Acknowledging the significance of this, the study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the newly developed UMAR (Usaha Memerangi Asap Rokok) module in improving dentists' knowledge and attitudes towards delivering smoking cessation interventions to patients. Materials and methods: Between November 2022 and May 2023, a pre-post study was conducted among 80 government dentists working at primary dental clinics in Kelantan. The UMAR module was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and was then disclosed to the participants through workshops that included lectures and practicals. A validated questionnaire was administered before and after the workshop through Google Forms to assess the improvement of knowledge and attitudes. Results: Participants' overall knowledge increased significantly from 7.29 (2.194) to 10.39 (1.026), t=10.990, p<0.001. Participants' overall attitudes also increased significantly from 18.64 (1.669) to 19.49 (1.060), t=5.074, p<0.001. There was no significant association between demographic factors, working characteristics, smoking cessation training, and the availability of a quit smoking clinic with the post-intervention knowledge and attitude. Conclusion: The UMAR module was effective in improving dentists' knowledge and attitudes towards delivering smoking cessation interventions to patients.