Evaluation of Publication Growth in Pediatric Dentistry From 2005 to 2024: A Bibliometric Analysis

TL;DR

This study analyzed global research trends in pediatric dentistry from 2005 to 2024, showing significant growth and collaboration but also regional disparities.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of pediatric dentistry research, highlighting growth patterns, collaboration trends, and thematic shifts.

Findings

Research output in pediatric dentistry grew from 35 papers in 2005 to 508 in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 16.87%.

The United States, Brazil, and India were the most productive countries, while Australia, England, and Germany had the highest citation impact.

Collaborative authorship was prevalent, with mid- to large-sized teams producing the most influential research.

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate global research output, impact, collaboration, and thematic trends in pediatric dentistry (PD) from 2005 to 2024, utilizing data from the Web of Science (WoS). A bibliometric investigation was conducted on 4,032 articles and reviews indexed in the WoS Core Collection. The indicators assessed included publication growth, citation patterns, authorship and institutional productivity, contributions by country, journal performance, and keyword co-occurrence. The R Foundation and VOSviewer software were utilized for data analysis. In the results, research output increased steadily from 35 papers in 2005 to 508 in 2024, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 16.87%. The most productive countries were the United States, Brazil, and India, while Australia, England, and Germany achieved the highest citation impact. Specialized dental journals accounted for the majority of the output and citations. Collaborative authorship was prevalent, with mid- to large-sized teams producing the most influential research. A keyword analysis indicated that core themes included dental caries, preventive dentistry, clinical management, and child-focused oral health. A significant relationship was observed between accessibility modes, document types, and journal types (p < 0.001). Despite this strong growth, contributions were uneven across different countries and institutions, and many authors published only a single paper. In conclusion, PD research has significantly expanded over the past two decades, becoming more collaborative and globally diverse. However, disparities in productivity and impact continue to exist across regions. To enhance understanding of global research trends in PD, it is recommended that future studies employ broader search strategies, utilize additional databases, and incorporate qualitative assessments.

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