A content analysis of dental education research as reported in two journals

Little systematic information has been collected about the nature and types of studies published in dental education journals. The goals of this study were to conduct a content analysis of articles published in dental education journals in two recent years, describe the type of research published, identify possible gaps, and propose future agendas. A content analysis of articles published in two leading dental education journals was performed for the years 2003 and 2008 with 253 articles reviewed. Most articles were descriptive and observational in nature. Curriculum was the most common topic of study addressed. The mean number of authors per article increased slightly over time, and authors held mostly a combination of D.D.S. and M.S. degrees or Ph.D. degrees. A review of the literature was present and critically discussed in almost three-quarters of the articles studied. One-third of the articles mentioned ethics review or approval. Most of the studies were conducted in North America, followed by Europe. About one-third of the articles reported a source of funding. A plea is made for more systematic studies of the effectiveness of instructional and curricular innovations and more clarification studies to better understand why certain initiatives or interventions work or not.