Most Dentists Do Not Screen Teens for Cannabis Use Despite Being Willing To
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.
Quick Facts
What This Study 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.
Key Numbers
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 They Did This
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.
Why This Research 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 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.
What This Study Doesn't 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.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would brief training increase dentist screening rates?
- ?Could dental office-based screening reduce adolescent cannabis use initiation?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 52.7% of screening dentists never counseled about positive cannabis screens
- Evidence Grade:
- Large national survey of dental practitioners. Moderate evidence for current practice patterns.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025.
- Original Title:
- Substance Use Screening Among Adolescents: National Dental Practice-Based Research Network Survey.
- Published In:
- The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 77(6), 1088-1096 (2025)
- Authors:
- McCauley, Jenna L, Leo, Michael C, Crawford, Phillip, McBurnie, Mary Ann, Barton, Danyelle, Weidner, Heather A, Rindal, D Brad, Gilbert, Gregg H
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07096
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked 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.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07096APA
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
MLA
McCauley, Jenna L, et al. "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, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.07.012
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Substance Use Screening Among Adolescents: National Dental P..." RTHC-07096. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mccauley-2025-substance-use-screening-among
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.