The CTI Program is a co-operative effort between the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), the Ontario Pharmacists’ Association (OPA) and the Ontario Dental Association (ODA). CTI provides a systematic approach to help medical, dental, and pharmacy professionals assist their patients to stop using tobacco products.

CTI provides an evidence-based approach to enhance the tobacco cessation interventions of health-care practitioners, namely dentists, physicians, pharmacists, and their support staff, through the dissemination of education kits and continuing education programs. Each association works to increase the awareness, role, and quality of CTI program delivery to their members.


Why is CTI Important?
In Canada, approximately 37,000 deaths per year are attributable to smoking.

Smoking remains the number 1 preventable cause of death and disease in Canada. It is estimated that smoking prematurely kills three times more Canadians than car accidents, suicides, drug abuse, murder and AIDS combined.

Research indicates that health-care professionals can play a significant role in patient smoking cessation efforts and that patients themselves are receptive to such advice and assistance.


Why Dentists?
Why do patients look to their oral health-care providers for advice and support with tobacco cessation? There are some very good reasons:

• The majority of people who smoke see their dentist at least once a year
• The majority of the public see their dentists as credible
• The majority of people rely on their dentists' advice when managing their health
• Dentists are among the health-care practitioners who have an extended knowledge of smoking/tobacco cessation
• As experts in oral health, dentists are able to provide best practice in brief but effective interventions to patients in all stages of the quitting process.
• They can also refer patients to other cessation programs like the Canadian Cancer Society’s Smokers Help Line (1-877-513-5333)
  

Ask Your Dentist!
So how does CTI help you? By educating and informing your dentist about the best ways to patients at any stage of the quitting process, the CTI program provides increased opportunities for you to find support and assistance you need to quit tobacco for good!

Next time you see your dentist – ask them about how they can help you with tobacco cessation, or if they know about the CTI program. Check us out at www.ctica.org