Gender trends in authorship of randomized clinical trials in dentistry

The aim of the study was to explore female authorship in various aspects of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in dentistry. A search was performed in PubMed for RCTs, in dentistry, indexed from 12/31/2016 to 12/31/2021. Only studies in English were considered. Data selection and extraction were performed by two authors and the following data collected: year of publication, journal, subject, number and names of authors, and country and gender (Genderize website) of the first 10 authors. Descriptive analyses, graphs, and maps were generated. Poisson regression assessed the influence of continent and year of publication on the presence of women as first or last authors. The results were presented as prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). A total of 844 RCTs and 4,305 authors (2,372 men and 1,662 women) were included. Gender disparity increases as the order of authorship advances. Among first authors, men represent 50.59% and women 44.08%, whereas among last authors, they account for 61.92% and 34.03%, respectively. Analyses showed no association between year of publication and the presence of women as authors. There were fewer women as first authors in Europe (PR: 0.82, 95%CI: 0.68-0.99) and as last authors in Europe and Asia (PR: 0.68, 95%CI: 0.53-0.87 and PR: 0.79, 95%CI: 0.63-0.99, respectively). The findings highlight a lower presence of female authors in all aspects analyzed in the RCTs, especially in last authorship. Also, there has been no indication of improvement in recent years. Female participation in RCTs is crucial not only for gender equity but also as a means to enhance the quality and relevance of clinical data for decision-making.