Most Dentists Do Not Screen Teens for Cannabis Use Despite Being Willing To | Research

The takeaway

Only about one-third of US dentists screen adolescent patients for cannabis use annually, and over half who do identify use never provide counseling, though most expressed willingness to do more.

Dental professionals, adolescent health advocates, and public health planners.

52.7% of screening dentists never counseled about positive cannabis screens

What the researchers found

Fewer than half of dentists (40.5%) screened for adolescent nicotine/tobacco annually, with approximately one-third screening for cannabis and other substances. Among those who screen, 52.7% never counseled about positive cannabis screens and 55.4% never counseled about illicit drug use. Referral rates to specialty care were low. However, dentists reported low stigma and high perceived relevance.

Why it matters

Dentists see adolescents regularly and could serve as an additional screening touchpoint for substance use. The gap between willingness and practice suggests that systemic barriers (training, time, referral pathways) rather than attitudes are preventing screening.

The numbers in context

N = 751 dentists (61% male, 67% White, 81% private practice). Annual screening: tobacco 40.5%, cannabis ~33%, alcohol ~33%, illicit drugs ~33%. Among screeners, never counseled: alcohol 48.5%, cannabis 52.7%, illicit drugs 55.4%.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional electronic survey of 751 dentists in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. Assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding substance use screening, counseling, and referral for adolescent patients.

What this study cannot tell us

Self-reported practices may overestimate actual screening. Survey respondents may be more interested in the topic than non-respondents. The survey did not assess the quality of screening when it occurred.

How to read the evidence

Large national survey of dental practitioners. Moderate evidence for current practice patterns.

When this study was published

Published in 2025.

The bigger picture

Dental visits represent an underutilized opportunity for adolescent substance use screening. With low stigma and high perceived relevance already present among dentists, targeted training and workflow integration could substantially increase screening rates.

Questions still open

Would brief training increase dentist screening rates? Could dental office-based screening reduce adolescent cannabis use initiation?

Common questions

Should dentists screen for cannabis use?

Professional organizations increasingly recommend universal adolescent substance use screening. Dentists see teens regularly and could identify use early, but most currently lack training and workflow support to do so effectively.

Why do dentists not counsel even when they screen?

Likely barriers include lack of training in brief intervention, time constraints during dental appointments, uncertainty about referral pathways, and feeling unqualified to address substance use issues.

Read the original research

Substance Use Screening Among Adolescents: National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Survey.

The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 77(6), 1088-1096

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

McCauley, Jenna L; Leo, Michael C; Crawford, Phillip; McBurnie, Mary Ann; Barton, Danyelle; Weidner, Heather A; Rindal, D Brad; Gilbert, Gregg H. (2025). Substance Use Screening Among Adolescents: National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Survey.. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 77(6), 1088-1096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.07.012