Assessment of the Quality of Specialty and Doctoral Theses in Periodontology

Objective: Periodontology postgraduate education in Turkiye is provided through doctoral (Ph.D.) and specialty programs, both requiring the completion of a thesis. Publication and citation of thesis-derived research are recognized indicators of academic quality, yet limited data compare these programs within the same timeframe. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the quality of Ph.D. and specialty theses completed between 2015 and 2019, based on publication rates and citation performances.Materials and Methods: A total of 299 theses (119 Ph.D., 180 specialty) archived in the National Thesis Center were examined. Thesis characteristics (year, author gender, supervisor’s academic title, study design, topic, follow-up period, and evaluated parameters) were recorded. Publication status, indexing category, journal quartile, and citation counts were determined. Results: The overall publication rate was 50.8%, with no significant difference between Ph.D. (54.6%) and specialty theses (48.3%) (p=0.287). Among published theses, 70.8% of Ph.D. and 62.1% of specialty theses appeared in Science Citation Index (SCI)/SCI-Expanded journals. Citation performance, including cited publications, total citations, and mean citation rates, was also similar (p>0.05 for all). Demographic and descriptive parameters, such as supervisor’s academic title, study design, topic, and follow-up period did not influence publication and citation status.Conclusion: Ph.D. and specialty theses in periodontology completed between 2015 and 2019 demonstrated comparable publication rates and citation performances, suggesting that specialty theses are non-inferiority to Ph.D. theses. Strengthening the dissemination of thesis-derived publications will enhance scientific visibility and support the dual mission of postgraduate periodontology training by advancing clinical expertise and fostering academic scholarship.