In the 1990s, the American Dental Association adopted policies that address the dentist’s role in counseling patients on both proper nutrition and tobacco-use cessation.
On nutrition: "The Association encourages dentists to effectively educate and counsel their patients about proper nutrition and oral health, including eating a well balanced diet and limiting the number of between meal snacks" (Trans 1996:682).
On tobacco use: "The Association urges its members to become fully informed about tobacco cessation intervention techniques to effectively educate their patients to overcome their addiction to tobacco. This information should include education on the primary prevention of tobacco use" (Trans 1992:598).
