Webinar: FreSH Study Shares Results on Smoking Cessation in Dental Settings
Dr. Sandra Japuntich and Dr. Sarah Helseth joined the National Dental PBRN on September 26, 2025, to present findings from the Free Samples for Health (FreSH) Study. The webinar also featured practitioner panelists Dr. Dhanya Narasimhan and Dr. Sangeeta Gajendra, who shared their experiences implementing the control intervention in practice.
The FreSH Study tested the feasibility and impact of providing free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) samples in dental settings, alongside Ask-Advise-Refer (AAR) counseling. While long-term smoking abstinence rates were similar between groups, patients who received NRT samples showed significantly higher short-term abstinence, quit attempts, and use of cessation medications.
Practitioners and patients rated the intervention highly in terms of feasibility and acceptability. Panelists discussed how the study changed their approach to smoking cessation conversations and highlighted the value of offering support to patients for smoking cessation during dental visits.
Click here to learn more about the Free Samples for Health (FreSH) study.
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