Profile of scientific production in endodontics in high-impact journals

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the profile of scientific production in the field of endodontics in high-impact journals. Methods: Articles published from January 2001 to December 2011 in the Journal of Endodontics, International Endodontic Journal, and Australian Endodontic Journal were evaluated. Various aspects were assessed: type of article, authors’ geographic origin, changes in the profile of papers over the studied period (in terms of country of origin and type of article), and ratio between budget for science/technology and number of publications. Results: A total of 3,993 articles were published in the 10-year period assessed. Basic research articles accounted for 67.85% of the production, compared to 1.35% of systematic reviews/meta-analyses. The U.S. ranked first in number of publications (23.69%), followed by Brazil (14.22%) and China (6.42%). Despite the low investments made in science, the emerging countries Brazil, China, and Turkey were able to figure among the top five countries in number of publications, especially as a result of increasing numbers of articles in the latest years. Conclusion: Emerging countries are investing increasing amounts in science and technology, which has allowed for a large number of publications in high-impact journals.

Keywords: Endodontics, science, technology, impact factor, journal article.