Arden G. Christen, DDS, MSD, MA, FACD - Dentistry

Dr. Arden Christen reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Dr. Christen is Professor and Director of Preventive and Community Dentistry in the Department of Oral Biology at Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis. He is coauthor of a textbook, Primary Preventive Dentistry, 4th Edition, published in 1995. Dr. Christen is also an expert on smoking cessation and co-director of the Indiana University Nicotine Dependence Program.

Dr. Christen retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force in 1980. Since then, he has been involved in many tobacco-related research projects, focusing on nicotine withdrawal therapy in dental practice and the effects of using smoked and smokeless tobacco. He is coauthor of the 1990 Surgeon General's Report, "The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation."

In addition to dentistry, Dr. Christen's interests include lifestyle modification, stress reduction, chemical dependency, motivation and the clinical effects of tobacco on oral and perioral tissues.

Healthwise Knowledgebase Topics Reviewed

Basic Dental Care

Cleft Lip

Cleft Palate

Gum Disease

Tooth Decay

Wisdom Tooth Problems

Education

DDS: University of Minnesota, 1956

MS in Dentistry: Indiana University, 1965

MA in Psychology: Ball State University, Muncie, 1973

Academic Appointments

Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor, General Practice, University of Texas, Dental Branch, Houston, 1967 - 1970

Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Community Dentistry, University of Texas Dental School, San Antonio, 1976 - 1980

Indiana University School of Dentistry:

• Associate Professor of Preventive Dentistry, 1980 - 1985
• Professor of Preventive Dentistry, 1985 - present
• Chairman, Dept. of Preventive Dentistry, 1981 - 1993

Director, Indiana University Nicotine Dependence Program, 1992 - present

Hospital Affiliations

Chairman, Dept. of General Dentistry, Wilford Hall Medical Ctr., San Antonio, 1969 - 1970

Professional Affiliations

American Dental Association and National Cancer Institute, consultant on smoking cessation, tobacco education and control

Selected Publications

1. Cohen SJ, Christen AG, Katz BP, et al. (1987). Counseling medical and dental patients about cigarette smoking: The impact of nicotine gum and chart reminders. American Journal of Public Health 77: 313 - 316.
2. Transdermal Nicotine Study Group (Christen AG, Beiswanger B, Mau M, Walker C) (1991). Transdermal nicotine for smoking cessation: Six-month results from two multicenter controlled clinical trials. JAMA, 266(22): 3133 - 3138.

Selected Textbooks

1. Christen AG, Klein JA (1997). Tobacco and Your Oral Health. Quintessence Publishing.
2. Harris NO, Christen AG (1995). Primary Preventive Dentistry, 4th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton & Lange.

Financial Disclosure

This reviewer reported no financial conflicts.

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