Research Directions in Pediatric Dental Education: A Bibliometric Analysis

BACKGROUND: Currently, research in pediatric dental education is relatively scattered and lacks systematic integration. This study aimed to analyze the status and dynamics of pediatric dental education using bibliometric methods. METHODS: Publications from 1988 to 2024 were searched in the PubMed database. Two investigators screened and identified articles for further study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze and visualize the bibliometric networks. RESULTS: A total of 342 articles were included in the bibliometric analysis. The United States published the largest number of articles. The Journal of Dental Education (n = 85), Pediatric Dentistry (n = 74), and European Journal of Dental Education (n = 25) were the top three journals according to the number of publications. Most literature focused on the postgraduate education (47.66%) and undergraduate education (30.99%) in pediatric dental education. The two most repeatedly used keywords were "pediatric dentistry" and "dental education." Research hot topics in the field of pediatric dental education have focused on "competency-based education," "clinical education," and "advanced dental education." CONCLUSION: Based on bibliometric mapping from 1988 to 2024, this study provides a relatively comprehensive overview of the global landscape of pediatric dental education, highlighting publication trends, influential contributors, and evolving research themes. The analysis reveals the research hotspots of pediatric dental education focused on competency-based education, clinical training, and advanced dental education, reflecting the discipline's movement toward more diversified and technology-enhanced teaching models. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The authors have confirmed clinical trial registration is not needed for this submission.