The Pakistan Dental Association (PDA) conducted a two-day Tobacco Cessation Workshop on 7–8 July 2026 in Islamabad, Pakistan. The workshop brought together senior dental leaders, faculty members, postgraduate residents, house officers, dental support staff, and representatives from public health and tobacco control organizations to strengthen the capacity of dental teams to provide evidence-based tobacco cessation support.

The workshop was held on 7 July at the Islamabad Medical & Dental College (IMDC) Auditorium and on 8 July at the Islamabad Dental Hospital, IMDC Conference Hall. The first day brought together 50 participants, while the second day involved 11 participants, including dental support staff and members of the dental teams from participating institutions.

The workshop was attended by senior representatives of the Pakistan Dental Association, including Dr Khurshid Ahmed, President PDA and Executive Director of GAK Healthcare Services; Prof. Dr Ulfat Bashir, Senior Vice President, PDA; and Dr Umar Farooq, Finance Secretary, PDA. Senior leadership and faculty from IMDC also participated, alongside representatives from the School of Dentistry, Bashir College of Dentistry, and other dental institutions in Islamabad.

The workshop further benefited from the participation of senior faculty members, postgraduate residents, house officers, and dental support staff from Islamabad Medical & Dental College, School of Dentistry, HBS Medical & Dental College, Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamic International Dental College, and Bashir College of Dentistry. The Patron of the Pakistan chapter of the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (PADR) also attended. Ihtiram Khattak from Heartfile, an NGO working on noncommunicable disease prevention and tobacco control, participated in the workshop and contributed to strengthening collaboration between dental and public health stakeholders.

Strengthening practical skills for tobacco cessation

A central focus of the workshop was to equip dental professionals with practical, evidence-based approaches for supporting patients who use tobacco. Participants particularly valued the introduction to the 5 As framework—Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange—as a structured approach for providing brief tobacco cessation interventions to patients who are ready to quit.

The 5 Rs framework—Relevance, Risks, Rewards, Roadblocks, and Repetition— was also highlighted as an important tool for patients who are not yet ready to make a quit attempt. By using motivational counseling strategies, dental professionals can help patients understand the personal relevance of quitting, recognize the health risks of continued tobacco use, identify the benefits of cessation, address barriers, and revisit the issue during future clinical encounters.

Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the workshop content, delivery, and practical relevance. Interactive discussions and the focus on integrating tobacco cessation into routine dental care were particularly well received. Many participants indicated that the workshop enhanced their knowledge, confidence, and motivation to provide brief tobacco cessation interventions in clinical practice.

Integrating tobacco cessation into routine dental care

The workshop emphasized that dental professionals are uniquely positioned to contribute to tobacco control. Routine dental visits provide regular opportunities to identify tobacco use, educate patients about its oral and systemic health consequences, and offer brief interventions or referrals for further support.

Participants expressed their intention to incorporate tobacco use screening into routine patient assessments and to apply the 5 As framework when counseling patients who are ready to quit. For patients who are not yet prepared to stop using tobacco, participants plan to use the 5 Rs framework to enhance motivation and encourage future quit attempts.

Participants also indicated that they would provide patient education, document tobacco use status, and arrange appropriate follow-up or referrals where feasible. These commitments demonstrate the potential for the workshop to translate into practical changes in clinical practice and contribute to the systematic integration of tobacco cessation into dental services.

Building collaboration for national tobacco control

The workshop also provided an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration among dental institutions in Islamabad and foster professional networking. Engagement with Heartfile created opportunities for future collaboration in capacity building, public awareness, and tobacco control initiatives.

These partnerships can support the development of a stronger and more coordinated approach to tobacco cessation within the dental sector. Collaboration among professional associations, dental institutions, government stakeholders, public health organizations, and civil society groups will be essential to expanding access to evidence-based tobacco dependence treatment.

The PDA is building on the outcomes of FDI-supported workshops by engaging government and public health stakeholders to promote evidence-based tobacco cessation services in dental practice, strengthen the role of dental professionals in tobacco dependence treatment, and support the development of national guidelines and capacity-building initiatives for dental teams.

By equipping dental professionals with practical tools and strengthening partnerships across the health sector, the workshop marked an important step toward making tobacco cessation a routine part of dental care in Pakistan.

The FDI Tobacco Cessation Project is supported by Lion Corporation.