Matoug-Elwerfelli Manal, Daud Alaa, Ali Kamran, Abdou Ahmed
Department of Pre-Clinical Oral Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
BDJ Open. 2025 Sep 2;11(1):77. doi: 10.1038/s41405-025-00364-2.
Virtual reality (VR) technologies are increasingly being adopted in dental education, particularly in restorative dentistry, due to their capacity to simulate realistic clinical scenarios and enhance student learning. However, despite the growing interest, the overall research landscape in this field remains unclear. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis to evaluate the most influential research contributions, publication trends, and collaborative patterns related to VR in restorative dentistry.
An advanced search of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS-CC) database was performed on 29th October 2024 using a combination of keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms relevant to VR and restorative dentistry. Only original research and review articles in English were included. Bibliometric parameters such as citation metrics, authorship, institutional affiliations, countries of origin, and keywords were extracted and analyzed using Bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer software.
Out of 434 retrieved records, 62 articles met the inclusion criteria. A marked increase in publications was observed after 2019, with the USA, UK, and Netherlands emerging as the leading contributors. The most cited article received 73 citations, focusing on haptic simulators for motor skill acquisition. The Journal of Dental Education, the European Journal of Dental Education, and BMC Medical Education were among the most prolific journals. Despite global contributions, the analysis revealed limited interdisciplinary and international collaboration.
This bibliometric study highlights the increasing research activity surrounding VR in restorative dentistry and its potential to transform dental education. While considerable progress has been made, further high-quality research and broader collaborative efforts are necessary to address existing gaps and fully harness the capabilities of VR and related immersive technologies in dental education.
虚拟现实（VR）技术因其能够模拟逼真的临床场景并增强学生学习效果，在牙科教育中越来越多地被采用，尤其是在修复牙科领域。然而，尽管兴趣日益浓厚，但该领域的整体研究状况仍不明确。本研究旨在进行文献计量分析，以评估与修复牙科中VR相关的最具影响力的研究贡献、发表趋势和合作模式。
于2024年10月29日对科学网核心合集（WoS-CC）数据库进行高级检索，使用与VR和修复牙科相关的关键词和医学主题词（MeSH）的组合。仅纳入英文的原创研究和综述文章。使用Bibliometrix（R）和VOSviewer软件提取并分析文献计量参数，如引用指标、作者身份、机构隶属关系、原产国和关键词。
在检索到的434条记录中，62篇文章符合纳入标准。2019年后观察到出版物数量显著增加，美国、英国和荷兰成为主要贡献者。被引用次数最多的文章获得了73次引用，重点是用于运动技能获取的触觉模拟器。《牙科教育杂志》《欧洲牙科教育杂志》和《BMC医学教育》是发文量最多的期刊之一。尽管有全球范围内的贡献，但分析显示跨学科和国际合作有限。
这项文献计量研究突出了修复牙科中围绕VR的研究活动日益增加及其改变牙科教育的潜力。虽然已经取得了相当大的进展，但仍需要进一步开展高质量研究和更广泛的合作努力，以弥补现有差距，并充分利用VR及相关沉浸式技术在牙科教育中的能力。
