Profile of pediatric dental literature: thirty-year time trends (1969-1998).

The objectives of this study were to determine the importance of the various areas of research interest in the pediatric dental literature and to measure their changes over a thirty-year period (1969-98). The Journal of Dentistry for Children and Pediatric Dentistry were reviewed by direct physical reference review and the publications categorized by research area. Frequency distribution and time series analyses were performed. There were 2.848 publications included in the study. Oral medicine, pathology and surgery remained the largest research area throughout the study period accounting for one-third of the publications. Time trends showed an increase in the following research areas: health services research; and pharmacologic behavior management; and an decrease in the following research areas: child behavior and nonpharmacologic behavior management; dental trauma; growth and development and orthodontics; and pulp therapy and medicaments. Time series analysis showed a strong negative correlation between the proportion of publications listed under pharmacologic behavior management, and child behavior and nonpharmacologic behavior management. In conclusion, pediatric dental literature reflected the trends in clinical practice.