Brazilian contribution to evidence-based periodontology

Evidence-based health care is the current paradigm that aims at giving scientific support to health policies both for individuals and communities. Periodontal research has dedicated special emphasis in providing support from high quality research for clinical practice. Evidence-based periodontology gives, therefore, the possibility of transposing and invisible bridge that links research to practice. In this sense, basic, epidemiological, mechanistic, proofs of principles and other research approaches are the spine of the body of evidence that supports evidence-based periodontology.¹

The years 2020 and 2021 are marked by an enormous shift in healthcare with an increased value for scientific-based approaches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These years probably were the times in recent history in which science was most praised and valued, by the non-academic people. On the other hand, pandemic has shown that science must better communicate its achievements out of the academic walls to the general population. Dental practice has changed and additional research and changes in professional approaches were highly required.²

At this same moment, and with no relationship with the pandemic situation, the impact factor of oral health journals has risen considerably and, proudly, periodontal research was recognized with increased impact factors of some of the main periodontal journals (Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Periodontology 2000, Journal of Periodontology and Journal of Periodontal Research). In this regard, it is noteworthy that, in this year, the Journal of Clinical Periodontology achieved the highest impact factor among dental journals.³ It is interesting to observe that Brazilian contribution accounts for approximately 5% of all papers published in Journal of Clinical Periodontology and, if only the last 10 years are considered, this proportion is of approximately 11%.

Brazilian dental research is currently considered one of the most productive worldwide. This is a reflection of the size of the country and the incentives that were given by the national graduate studies police, lead by CAPES (Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement) from the Ministry of Education. Also, CNPq (National Research Council), has given competitive incentives for dental research. These state policies were successful and increased substantially both in quantity and quality of oral health research. Studies have demonstrated that the majority of dental research in Brazil is performed in public universities, especially from the two most robust systems: the Federal University System, and the São Paulo State University System.⁴ Disparities are observed in the geographical and developmental indices that impact research productivity in the country and should be addressed by national policies.⁵

Bibliometric analyzes point out to a very good performance of Periodontology field in Brazil. For example, an analysis of the 100 top-cited articles in Dentistry, with authors from Brazil, approximately 10% of them are with periodontal-related topics.⁶It is also recognized that internationalization policies are valuable to increase quality and impact of research. In another study performed regarding scientific production in Brazil, the presence of international collaboration increases the impact of the studies.⁷The interpretation of such finding should be made with caution, in order not to belittle Brazilian sole made research, but to emphasize the broadness of knowledge in which mixing cultures, abilities and experiences has a potential of increasing quality.

Brazilian Oral Research journal (BOR), taking into consideration the quality of Brazilian periodontal researchers decided to publish this special issue, which does not have a specific topic in periodontal research, but that gives an idea of the quality and the insights Brazilian researchers give to evidence-based periodontology. Invited authors are of extreme quality demonstrated by their history in scientific productivity. BOR has been encouraging the internationalization not only in this issue by invitation of reputed international investigators and Brazilians that have made their careers abroad, but also in the previous special issues in which their papers have been very well recognized by the number of the citations in the last 3 years.

It is with great pleasure that we launch this issue in the moment we are finishing our terms as Associate Editor and Editor-in-chief of Brazilian Oral Research, wishing that the topics covered herein are representative of the quality of Brazilian periodontal researchers, but also of those ones in the dental field as a whole. Our wish is to shed some light into periodontal research developed in Brazil and that readers can take this opportunity to recognize the quality of Periodontology research from Brazil. We are sure that Brazilian Dentistry and Periodontology have their assigned place in World Dental Research. Enjoy the reading and congratulations to all authors.

References

• ¹
  Needleman I, Moles DR, Worthington H. Evidence-based periodontology, systematic reviews and research quality. Periodontol 2000. 2005;37:12-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0757.2004.37100.x
  » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0757.2004.37100.x
• ²
  Mattos FF, Pordeus IA. COVID-19: a new turning point for dental practice. Braz Oral Res. 2020;34:e085. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-3107bor-2020.vol34.0085
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-3107bor-2020.vol34.0085
• ³
  Journal Impact Factor. Journal impact fator list 2021 – JCR, Web of Sience. 2021 [cited 2021 Juy 1]. Available from: https://impactfactorforjournal.com/jcr-2021/
  » https://impactfactorforjournal.com/jcr-2021/
• ⁴
  Scarpelli AC, Sardenberg F, Goursand D, Paiva SM, Pordeus IA. Academic trajectories of dental researchers receiving CNPq’s productivity grants. Braz Dent J. 2008;19(3):252-6. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-64402008000300014
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-64402008000300014
• ⁵
  Celeste RK, Muniz FWMG, Ardenghi TM, Collares FM, Rösing CK. Brazilian dentistry research productivity: state level socioeconomic, educational and structural factors. Braz J Oral Sci. 2020 Jan;19:e206977. https://doi.org/10.20396/bjos.v19i0.8656977
  » https://doi.org/10.20396/bjos.v19i0.8656977
• ⁶
  Gonçalves AP, Plá AL, Rodolfo B, Nahsan FP, Correa MB, Moraes RR. Top-100 most cited dental articles with authors from Brazil. Braz Dent J. 2019 Mar-Apr;30(2):96-105. https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6440201902529
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6440201902529
• ⁷
  Gonçalves APR, Porto BL, Rodolfo B, Faggion CM Jr, Agostini BA, Sousa-Neto MD, Moraes RR. Brazilian articles in top-tier dental journals and influence of international collaboration on citation rates. Braz Dent J. 2019 Jul-Aug;30(4):307-316. https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6440201902826
  » https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6440201902826

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  24 Sept 2021
• Date of issue
  2021

History

• Received
  20 Aug 2021
• Accepted
  20 Aug 2021
• Reviewed
  24 Aug 2021