Progress and trends in photodynamic therapy research in oral science: A bibliometric analysis

Background: Photodynamic therapy is garnering increasing attention in oral science. Despite its promising potential, further exploration is warranted to delve into the research paradigms and evolving trends within oral science. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of photodynamic therapy in oral science (PDTOS), investigating research landscapes, identifying key contributors, analyzing collaborative networks, pinpointing emerging research directions, and exploring factors influencing high citations. Methods: Research and review articles in PDTOS were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database up to December 31, 2023. The R package "bibliometrix" and VOSviewer were utilized for visualizing collaboration networks and keyword co-occurrence, alongside trend analysis. Negative binomial regression was used to model factors affecting citation counts. Results: A total of 2784 articles with significant international collaboration (23.14 %) were analyzed. Brazil, China, the USA, Iran, and Italy led in publications, with predominant USA-European collaborations. The University of Sao Paulo in Brazil was the most published institution in the field. Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy was the core journal in the field and has the highest number of publications. The main research fields included photodynamic therapy, antibacterial and anticancer treatment, management, and peri-implant periodontitis, with a recent focus on peri-implantitis. Factors such as international cooperation, funding, article age, type, author count, and references significantly influenced citations. Conclusions: This research provided valuable insights into PDTOS trends and knowledge structures. These findings underscored a significant increase in the number of PDTOS publications, urging strengthened international cooperation. Emerging research has focused on peri-implantitis and nano-photosensitizer materials. Authors should consider various citation-related factors in their research endeavors.