A Decadal Bibliometric Analysis of Endodontics Research in Saudi Arabia (2016-2025): Volume, Impact, and Emerging Trends

TL;DR

This paper analyzes endodontics research trends in Saudi Arabia from 2016 to 2025, showing rapid growth and key areas of focus.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed bibliometric analysis of Saudi Arabia's endodontics research output and its global position.

Findings

Saudi Arabia's endodontics research grew at 18.27% annually, outpacing the global average of 7.22%.

Key research areas included root canal treatment, cone beam computed tomography, and regenerative endodontics.

King Faisal University had the highest citation impact, and international collaborations with the US and China yielded higher citation rates.

Abstract

The study aimed to assess global trends while highlighting the research productivity, influence, collaboration, and thematic trends in endodontics within Saudi Arabia from 2016 to 2025, using data from the Web of Science (WoS). Publications indexed in the WoS Core Collection were analyzed using the bibliometric parameters provided by WoS. Additionally, VOSviewer (Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, the Netherlands) and Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny were employed to evaluate collaboration patterns and the thematic landscape of the most prevalent keywords. The indicators examined included publication growth, citation patterns, authorship, institutional productivity, contributions by country, journal performance, keyword co-occurrence, funding sources, and international collaborations. A total of 15,156 publications were identified globally from 2016 to 2025, averaging 1,515 per year, with each publication receiving an average of 11.4 citations. Saudi Arabia contributed 1,175 publications, representing 7.75% of the global output, and exhibited a higher average annual growth rate of 18.27%, in contrast to the global trend of 7.22%(average annual growth rate), peaking at 17.7% (n=208) in 2024. King Saud University and King Abdulaziz University were identified as the most productive institutions, while King Faisal University demonstrated the highest citation impact. International collaborations included 65 countries, with India being the most frequent partner; however, collaborations with the United States and China yielded a greater citation impact. Significant relationships were identified between citation impact, accessibility mode, document types, and journal categories (p<0.001). The most prominent keywords indicated a focus on clinical and material-oriented topics, such as root canal treatment, cone beam computed tomography, and regenerative endodontics. Funding for research in Saudi Arabia was primarily sourced from leading universities, in contrast to global funding, which was predominantly provided by national agencies. Saudi Arabia experienced rapid advancement, characterised by robust institutional and collaborative contributions. There was a concentrated thematic focus on clinical procedures, diagnostics, biomaterials, and regenerative approaches, alongside an increasing influence in scholarly circles. The findings offer crucial insights for researchers, policymakers, and funding agencies, underscoring Saudi Arabia's emerging prominence in endodontics research.

Figures