DOI: 10.4103/2320-0057.129003
Published: May 2013
Type: Research Article
Thorakkal Shamim*
Department of Dentistry, Government Taluk Head Quarters Hospital, Malappuram, Kerala, India
Abstract:
Background and Objective: Forensic odontology is an emerging specialty of dentistry and there is a paucity of information about publication trends about forensic odontology specialty in India. Journal of forensic dental sciences (JFDS) is the official publication of the Indian Association of Forensic Odontology, which publishes articles related to forensic odontology. The main objective of the following study is to analyze the efficacy of JFDS as a mirror of Indian forensic odontology by evaluating the type of articles published, the article content showing the relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties and the authorship patterns in the published articles. Materials and Methods: Bibliometric analysis was carried out by Web-based search during the period of April 2013. This article audits the publication in the journal JFDS over a 4-year period (2009-2012). It assesses the types of articles published, the article content showing the relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties and explores the authorship patterns in the publication. Results: Out of the total 81 published articles, original articles (57) and review articles (14) contribute the major share. Regarding the relationship of forensic odontology with various dental specialties, the maximum numbers of published articles were related to oral medicine and radiology (30) followed by oral pathology and microbiology (16), prosthodontics (14) and orthodontics (10) and community dentistry (5). The largest numbers of published articles were received from Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu(7) followed by Subharti Dental College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh (4), M. R. Ambedkar Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka (3), Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh (3) and Modern Dental College and Research Center, Indore, Madhya Pradesh (3). Conclusion: The data pertaining to forensic odontology articles in JFDS may not reflect the overall forensic odontology research output from India.