Non-pharmacological Behavior Management Techniques in Pediatric Dentistry: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

As an emerging trend, non-pharmacological behavior management has gained immense research interest. By utilizing a bibliometric approach, this investigation aims to review the state of the non-pharmacological behavior management techniques research in pediatric dentistry. A Scopus search was done on non-pharmacological behavior management in pediatric dentistry, including literature from 1900 to 2022, using “Cited Reference Search” on 4/2/2022. After being screened, the articles were ranked according to the number of citations they had, and the publication year, authorship, contributing institutions, countries, article topic, study design, H index, and keywords were extracted. Out of the 1431 articles found during the literature search, the top 50 cited articles were used for analysis. The citation counts of the 50 selected articles varied from 163 to one, and their highest publications were in the years 2017 and 2019 (n = 7). Most studies were published in the United Kingdom (n = 10). The studies done in Australia and USA have the highest mean citation with the most significant contributions from the Department of Dental Medicine, Children's Hospital, Regional Medical Center, USA. The systematic review was the most frequent study design (n = 19). Among 110 unique keywords, dental anxiety (n = 11) was the most frequently used. This bibliometric analysis offers valuable details on the top 50 publications cited between 2006 and 2022. Although these methods have been employed for many years, only recently have they been the subject of significant scientific publications. It is hoped that this study will enable aspiring and seasoned researchers to envision and create potential future scenarios for interdisciplinary research collaborations on the use of non-pharmacological behavior management techniques in pediatric dentistry.