A Scientometric Analysis of Orthodontic Research Output in Iran

Background: Scientometric studies in various dental specialties are relatively scarce. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the research scholarly output of Iran regarding orthodontic-related research, based on data retrieved from the Scopus citation database using SciVal. Materials and Methods: The SciVal platform was utilized to analyze all documents relevant to orthodontics published in Iran from January 2014 to December 2023. Key indicators examined included FWCI (Field-Weighted Citation Impact), the number of published scientific documents, the extent of international collaboration, the main topics of the articles, and the journals in which these articles were published. Results: The findings revealed that the number of Iran's scientific papers published in the filed of orthodontics increased by 94.4% from 2014 to 2023, accounting for 3.3% of all scholarly orthodontic articles globally. A remarkable 25.5-fold increase in the number of Q1 articles from Iran was observed in 2023 compared to 2014. However, the FWCI declined from 0.93 to 0.61. Among the articles published over the past decade, the topics of adhesives and bonding had the highest number of publications. Additionally, the number of internationally co-authored documents in 2023 showed a 2.5-fold increase compared to 2014. Conclusion: Iran's scientific output in orthodontics has shown an increasing trend, indicating the potential for further growth. With meticulous planning and strategic measures, this field could be distinguished as a leading area of scientific production in the country.