The impact of gender on citation rates: An observational study on the most cited dental articles

Abstract

ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study aims to determine whether the gender of the authors plays a role in the position of authorship within the 100 most cited articles in dentistry. MethodsAn electronic search was performed in October 2022 in the SCOPUS database, considering filters by 'subject area' [dentistry], 'document type' [article], and 'source type' [journal]. The search was performed without restriction on the study design, publication yearor language. Information regarding each article was then extracted. The gender of the first and last author was determined by associating their first names with the probability of the name being male or female, using the Genderize database. Comparative evaluation of gender distribution was performed with the Chi-Square test. ResultsArticles ranged from 5214 to 579 citations. Included studies were published between 1964 and 2019, with the majority being from journals with the highest impact factors in the field. There were statistical significance differences between the gender distribution of the first and last authors, with a predominance of man in both authorships positions (all p<0.00). Only 15% and 12.6% the most cited papers in dental research presented a woman as first and last authors, respectively. ConclusionIn conclusion, female authors are not as regarded as male authors in prestigious authorship positions in the most cited dental publications, and gender bias can still be considered prominent in the dental research community. Clinical relevanceThe findings of the present study indicate that the gender imbalance in citation practices, reported in several areas, also occurs in the field of Dentistry. It is essential that more discussions be raised about gender disparities and about the female presence in the scientific community.