Current Presentation Trends in Pediatric Dental Research

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to analyze the research interests of pediatric dentists as indicated by their presentations at IADR/AADR meetings and to determine the changes in research interests between 1989, 1990 and those in 2005.

Method: The list of abstract authors in the IADR/AADR 2005 meeting program was cross-referenced against the 2007 membership list of the Academy of Pediatric Dentists (AAPD). Abstracts where one or more of the authors was a pediatric dentist were classified as to subject area and the results compared to previously determined trends (Loevy, H.T. and Goldberg, A.F. Current Research Trends In Pediatric Dentistry. PED. DENT, 1994 16, 153).

Results: There was an increase in the number of presentations by pediatric dentists in 2005 as compared to the number of presentations in 1989 and 1990. The most prevalent subject areas were Dental Materials (21%) followed by Behavioral Science (16%), Crainiofacial Biology (13%) and Cariology Research (10%). Thus, four fields accounted for 60% of the presentations by pediatric dentists. There has been a notable shift away from Cariology Research and toward Dental Materials during the time period examined.

Conclusions: While changes in the research interests of pediatric dentists were noted, two-thirds of the presentations are currently in four subject areas: Dental Materials, Behavioral Science, Crainiofacial Biology and Cariology.