Category Archives: oa.dentistry

Exploring the use of preprints in dentistry – ScienceDirect

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Abstract:  Objective

This study aims to assess the use, impact, and dissemination of preprints in dentistry.

Methods

This is a meta-research study with a cross-sectional design. We included preprints published in dentistry, regardless of the year of publication. Searches were performed in the medRxiv.org and Preprints.org platforms and restricted to English. One researcher extracted the data, and another researcher verified data consistency. The following data were extracted: year of publication, country of the corresponding author, number of abstract and full-text views and downloads, Altmetric attention score, whether the preprint was mentioned in other servers such as Twitter and Publons, number of mentions in other servers, number of citations in the Dimensions database, and whether the preprint had already been published in a peer-reviewed journal. If already published, we extracted the journal’s impact factor (JCR 2021) and the number of citations in the Dimensions database. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the extracted characteristics and explored relationships between metrics using the Spearman correlation.

Results

We identified 276 preprints. Most of the studies were published between 2020 and 2022 (n?=?229), especially those from ten countries. The most-cited preprint and published article are the same study. Only the correlation between the number of preprint citations and peer-reviewed article citations in the Dimensions database showed a large positive association (Spearman’s rho?=?0.5809).

Conclusion

Preprints gained popularity over the last several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reached a larger audience, especially on platforms such as Twitter.

Research transparency in dental research: A programmatic analysis – Raittio – European Journal of Oral Sciences – Wiley Online Library

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Abstract:  We assessed adherence to five transparency practices—data sharing, code sharing, conflict of interest disclosure, funding disclosure, and protocol registration—in articles in dental journals. We searched and exported the full text of all research articles from PubMed-indexed dental journals available in the Europe PubMed Central database until the end of 2021. We programmatically assessed their adherence to the five transparency practices using a validated and automated tool. Journal- and article-related information was retrieved from ScimagoJR and Journal Citation Reports. Of all 329,784 articles published in PubMed-indexed dental journals, 10,659 (3.2%) were available to download. Of those, 77% included a conflict of interest disclosure, and 62% included a funding disclosure. Seven percent of the articles had a registered protocol. Data sharing (2.0%) and code sharing (0.1%) were rarer. Sixteen percent of articles did not adhere to any of the five transparency practices, 29% adhered to one, 48% adhered to two, 7.0% adhered to three, 0.3% adhered to four, and no article adhered to all five practices. Adherence to transparency practices increased over time; however, data and code sharing especially remained rare. Coordinated efforts involving all stakeholders are needed to change current transparency practices in dental research.

 

Dental Research Data Availability and Quality According to the FAIR Principles – S.E. Uribe, A. Sofi-Mahmudi, E. Raittio, I. Maldupa, B. Vilne, 2022

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Abstract:  According to the FAIR principles, data produced by scientific research should be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable—for instance, to be used in machine learning algorithms. However, to date, there is no estimate of the quantity or quality of dental research data evaluated via the FAIR principles. We aimed to determine the availability of open data in dental research and to assess compliance with the FAIR principles (or FAIRness) of shared dental research data. We downloaded all available articles published in PubMed-indexed dental journals from 2016 to 2021 as open access from Europe PubMed Central. In addition, we took a random sample of 500 dental articles that were not open access through Europe PubMed Central. We assessed data sharing in the articles and compliance of shared data to the FAIR principles programmatically. Results showed that of 7,509 investigated articles, 112 (1.5%) shared data. The average (SD) level of compliance with the FAIR metrics was 32.6% (31.9%). The average for each metric was as follows: findability, 3.4 (2.7) of 7; accessibility, 1.0 (1.0) of 3; interoperability, 1.1 (1.2) of 4; and reusability, 2.4 (2.6) of 10. No considerable changes in data sharing or quality of shared data occurred over the years. Our findings indicated that dental researchers rarely shared data, and when they did share, the FAIR quality was suboptimal. Machine learning algorithms could understand 1% of available dental research data. These undermine the reproducibility of dental research and hinder gaining the knowledge that can be gleaned from machine learning algorithms and applications.

 

The long-term influence of Open Access on the scientific and social impact of dental journal articles: An updated analysis – ScienceDirect

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Abstract:  Objectives

To investigate whether dental journal articles that are Open Access (OA) receive greater citation counts and higher Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS) than articles that are non-OA in the long term.

Methods

Eligible dental journal articles published in 2013 were identified via PubMed, and Web of science, Unpaywall and corresponding URLs were manually checked to determine the OA status of each included article 7 years after publication. Citation counts were extracted from Web of Science and Scopus, and AAS was harvested from the Altmetric Explorer. Multivariable general linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between OA and citation count, as well as between OA and AAS.

Results

Among the 755 included articles, 309 (40.9%) were freely available online. Among the 309 OA articles, articles available from publishers accounted for 64.4% (199/309) of all OA articles, and those available through self-archiving accounted for 56.0% (173/309). According to regression analyses, OA articles had significantly greater citation counts (P = 0.001) and AAS (P < 0.001) than non-OA articles.

Conclusions/clinical significance

In the field of dentistry, about 41% of journal articles are OA 7 years after publication, and OA articles available from the publishers are more common than those from authors through self-archiving. OA articles tend to have greater scientific and social impact than non-OA articles in the long term.

BDJ Open (2019-2020) and the advantages of open access publishing | British Dental Journal

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Abstract:  BDJ Open is the open access sister journal to the British Dental Journal, and this paper aims to explore the various different articles that BDJ Open has published between 2019 and 2020, in order to highlight which areas authors felt were important to publish open access. Furthermore, this article will investigate the advantages of open access publishing to both authors and readers, as well as the scientific community in general, and will examine how open access publishing has allowed the BDJ Portfolio to publish a wide range of research, both in terms of topic and geography.

 

 

JAD goes OPEN ACCESS

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As announced in our previous editorial, JAD [Journal of Adhesive Dentistry] will become an “open access” journal from January 1, 2022. Note that after acceptance of a submitted article, a moderate publication fee af €1250 (excluding taxes) is charged by the publisher, while article submission fees are NOT charged….”

Transformation | British Dental Journal

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“The BDJ [British Dental Journal] has become what is termed a Transformative Journal (TJ)….

A TJ commits, among other things, to continuously increase the OA share each year and to ‘flip’ to full OA for primary research once a 75% threshold has been met, and to maximise take-up of the OA option by proactively promoting the benefits of OA to authors of primary research articles….

How soon the 75% OA content is reached is difficult to estimate. It is probably some years away, but the important aspect is the commitment to aim for this transformation while also continuing to develop the value of the journal both in print and online for all users.”

Beginning of JPR’s great voyage to the open science world

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“Many academic societies are currently undergoing this transition [to OA], and in the process, some major international publishers are double dipping, charging high subscription fees as well as expensive APCs. We strongly support open science initiatives and have long sought to move JPR to be a fully open journal. However, if we had continued to publish under Elsevier, moving to a fully open journal would have resulted in significant costs for both the authors and Japan Prosthodontic Society (JPS). After much discussion, we have finally made a decision regarding this crucial issue.

In 2021, JPS changed publishers, moving from Elsevier to J-STAGE, which now publishes JPR as a full-OA journal….”

The Quality of Statistical Reporting and Data Presentation in Predatory Dental Journals Was Lower Than in Non-Predatory Journals

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Abstract:  Proper peer review and quality of published articles are often regarded as signs of reliable scientific journals. The aim of this study was to compare whether the quality of statistical reporting and data presentation differs among articles published in ‘predatory dental journals’ and in other dental journals. We evaluated 50 articles published in ‘predatory open access (OA) journals’ and 100 clinical trials published in legitimate dental journals between 2019 and 2020. The quality of statistical reporting and data presentation of each paper was assessed on a scale from 0 (poor) to 10 (high). The mean (SD) quality score of the statistical reporting and data presentation was 2.5 (1.4) for the predatory OA journals, 4.8 (1.8) for the legitimate OA journals, and 5.6 (1.8) for the more visible dental journals. The mean values differed significantly (p < 0.001). The quality of statistical reporting of clinical studies published in predatory journals was found to be lower than in open access and highly cited journals. This difference in quality is a wake-up call to consume study results critically. Poor statistical reporting indicates wider general lower quality in publications where the authors and journals are less likely to be critiqued by peer review. 

 

Transparency in Clinical Trials: adding value to Paediatric Dental Research – Cenci – – International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry – Wiley Online Library

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Abstract:  Background

Even though considered as studies with high methodological power, many RCTs in paediatric dentistry do not have essential quality items in their design, development and report, making results’ reliability questionable, replication challenging to conduct, wasting time, money and efforts, and even exposing the participants to research for no benefit.

Aim

We addressed the main topics related to transparency in clinical research, with an emphasis in paediatric dentistry.

Design

We searched for all controlled clinical trials published from January 2019 up to July 2020 in the three paediatric dentistry journals with high journal Impact Factor, indexed on Medline. These papers were assessed for transparency according to Open Science practices and regarding reporting accuracy using some items required by CONSORT.

Results

53.6% of the studies declared registration, 75% had sample size calculation, 98.2% reported randomisation, and from those, 65.4% explained the randomisation method. Besides that, no study shared their data, and 6.8% were published in open access format.

Conclusions

Unfortunately, a large proportion of RCTs in paediatric dental research show a lack of transparency and reproducibility.

Clinical trials sponsored by industry and other private organizations

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Abstract:  The present manuscript discussed some relevant aspects related to private sponsored clinical trials in dentistry. For decades, the academy has been the major responsible for research in Brazil. Distant from the trade sector, academic research has not always provided clear benefits to society. A key aspect of making benefits clearer is the process of scientific knowledge transference to decision-makers, which is, in fact, the ground of evidence-based dentistry. Although private sponsoring of clinical research seems to be part of the research progress of the business rates, investment in Brazil is lower than those observed in other countries. It is particularly important to understand that instead of creating its own rules, dentistry imported the high-quality standards originally designed for pharmaceutical studies. Therefore, it is critical to understand the original rules and how dental items are classified by regulatory agencies. In fact, knowledge about international and local regulation is a basic assumption in industry-sponsored research. Despite globalization, the identification of industry-sponsored studies through open access databases is still very hard and time-demanding. A common concern when conducting industry-sponsored trials is study biases. Fortunately, many relevant organizations, academic and industry groups, have been working seriously against that. Finally, for less experienced researchers, many aspects related to industry-sponsored studies – such as confidentiality, authorship, budget – are deeply discussed until a final version of the trial agreement can be written and signed, protecting all sides. In short, the scenario should be improved, but it already represents a nice opportunity for dental research.

 

Developing an Open Access, Competency-Based Global Oral Health Curriculum: A Global Health Starter Kit. – PubMed – NCBI

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Abstract:  Dental education has seen increases in global health and international educational experiences in many dental schools’ curricula. In response, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health’s Global Oral Health Interest Group aims to develop readily available, open access resources for competency-based global oral health teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a Global Health Starter Kit (GHSK), an interdisciplinary, competency-based, open access curriculum for dental faculty members who wish to teach global oral health in their courses. Phase I (2012-17) evaluated longitudinal outcomes from two Harvard School of Dental Medicine pilot global health courses with 32 advanced and 34 predoctoral dental students. In Phase II (2018), the Phase I outcomes informed development, implementation, and evaluation of the open access GHSK (45 enrollees) written by an interdisciplinary, international team of 13 content experts and consisting of five modules: Global Trends, Global Goals, Back to Basics: Primary Care, Social Determinants and Risks, and Ethics and Sustainability. In Phase III (summer and fall 2018), five additional pilot institutions (two U.S. dental schools, one U.S. dental hygiene program, and two dental schools in low- and middle-income countries) participated in an early adoption of the GHSK curriculum. The increase in perceived knowledge scores of students enrolled in the pilot global health courses was similar to those enrolled in the GHSK, suggesting the kit educated students as well or better in nearly all categories than prior course materials. This study found the GHSK led to improvements in learning in the short term and may also contribute to long-term career planning and decision making by providing competency-based global health education.

 

Developing an Open Access, Competency-Based Global Oral Health Curriculum: A Global Health Starter Kit | Journal of Dental Education

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Abstract:  Dental education has seen increases in global health and international educational experiences in many dental schools’ curricula. In response, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health’s Global Oral Health Interest Group aims to develop readily available, open access resources for competency-based global oral health teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a Global Health Starter Kit (GHSK), an interdisciplinary, competency-based, open access curriculum for dental faculty members who wish to teach global oral health in their courses. Phase I (2012-17) evaluated longitudinal outcomes from two Harvard School of Dental Medicine pilot global health courses with 32 advanced and 34 predoctoral dental students. In Phase II (2018), the Phase I outcomes informed development, implementation, and evaluation of the open access GHSK (45 enrollees) written by an interdisciplinary, international team of 13 content experts and consisting of five modules: Global Trends, Global Goals, Back to Basics: Primary Care, Social Determinants and Risks, and Ethics and Sustainability. In Phase III (summer and fall 2018), five additional pilot institutions (two U.S. dental schools, one U.S. dental hygiene program, and two dental schools in low- and middle-income countries) participated in an early adoption of the GHSK curriculum. The increase in perceived knowledge scores of students enrolled in the pilot global health courses was similar to those enrolled in the GHSK, suggesting the kit educated students as well or better in nearly all categories than prior course materials. This study found the GHSK led to improvements in learning in the short term and may also contribute to long-term career planning and decision making by providing competency-based global health education.

Open Access, the next step in evolution

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“Evolution is described as the gradual process of change and development, in which sometimes a quantum jump occurs in order to adapt to the environment. We will do just this with Oral Health and Preventive Dentistry, thus giving it the larger audience it deserves.

In order to do this we will move from paper to online- only publication and make it Open Access, free of charge for whoever is interested in the subject matter. Issue No. 6, 2019 will be the last printed issue.

Starting with the first Issue in 2020, the journal will be an open access journal, available to the entire dental world to read and learn from. So yes, your journal that you know and love will be free for you starting next year….”

Open Access, the next step in evolution

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“Evolution is described as the gradual process of change and development, in which sometimes a quantum jump occurs in order to adapt to the environment. We will do just this with Oral Health and Preventive Dentistry, thus giving it the larger audience it deserves.

In order to do this we will move from paper to online- only publication and make it Open Access, free of charge for whoever is interested in the subject matter. Issue No. 6, 2019 will be the last printed issue.

Starting with the first Issue in 2020, the journal will be an open access journal, available to the entire dental world to read and learn from. So yes, your journal that you know and love will be free for you starting next year….”