Abstract
We are delighted to announce that Dental and Medical Problems is the first dentistry-focused scholarly journal in Poland and Eastern Europe to achieve a Journal Impact Factor (JIF) in the latest 2023 release of the Journal Citation Reports™!
Keywords: Impact Factor, Journal Impact Factor, citation, scientometrics, Dental and Medical Problems
After 3 years of dedicated efforts by the Editorial Office, all members of the Editorial Board, Editors, Authors, Reviewers, and Readers, we are pleased to announce the successful achievement of our intended goal. Dental and Medical Problems (Dent Med Probl) now stands as the first dentistry-focused scholarly journal in Poland and Eastern Europe to be granted a Journal Impact Factor (JIF) in the most recent 2023 release of the Journal Citation Reports™! The Impact Factor (IF) or Journal Impact Factor (JIF) of an academic journal is a scientometric index calculated by Clarivate™ that reflects the average number of citations of the articles published in the last 2 years in a given journal, as indexed by Clarivate’s Web of Science.1, 2 In terms of categories, Dent Med Probl currently holds the following ranking positions in the Web of Science: 72/322 (Q1) in the category “Medicine, General & Internal”; and 70/156 (Q2) in the category “Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine”. This remarkable position is owed, among other factors, to our Authors, particularly those who have contributed highly cited papers to our Journal in the last 2 years. Therefore, we take this opportune moment to showcase their articles once again as a tribute to their hard work, and express our gratitude for choosing our Journal to publish their research.
In recent years, the articles most frequently cited in Dent Med Probl have centered around the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, reflecting the profound significance of this global phenomenon. COVID-19 has impacted diverse aspects of oral health, such as saliva, oral mucosa, taste, bruxism, oral behaviors, and orofacial pain.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Additionally, it has influenced the psycho-emotional state and stress levels of oral healthcare providers, dental students, and patients, as well as the education of dental students.9, 10, 11
Over the past 2 years, the most frequently cited article has been a multinational study examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental practitioners regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, published by Kamate et al.12 This study utilized an online-based survey distributed among dentists worldwide, employing a combination of convenience and snowball sampling. The total number of responses received (860) was categorized by continent (Asia, Americas – North and South, Europe, Africa, and others – Australia and Antarctica). Dentists demonstrated commendable knowledge and practice scores, underscoring the importance of their preparedness in combating COVID-19.12
Another highly cited paper, authored by AbuBakr et al., aimed to shed light on the oral manifestations observed in mild-to-moderate cases of COVID-19.4 This study, conducted through an online survey, involved 573 participants. The findings revealed that 71.7% of COVID-19 patients exhibited oral manifestations of varying incidence and significance, including oral or dental pain (23%), pain in jaw bones or joints (12.0%), halitosis (10.5%), ulcerations (20.4%), and xerostomia (47.6%). Additionally, some patients (28.3%) displayed 2 or 3 manifestations simultaneously.4
The following 2 highly cited articles were mini-reviews published by Paradowska-Stolarz5 and Emodi-Perlman and Eli,6 focusing on the oral manifestations of COVID-19 infection, and reviewing the initial existing literature on temporomandibular disorders (TMD), bruxism and orofacial pain during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.5, 6
The short communication published by Nuvvula and Mallineni, addressing the teledentistry model in pediatric dentistry and providing guidance as to how to manage children with dental problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, has also garnered significant reader interest.13
The prevalence and popularity of articles related to COVID-19 align with global trends and should not be surprising, given the novelty and immense importance of the topic for human life and health.14, 15, 16
On this occasion, we would like to reiterate our gratitude to all members of the Editorial Board, as well as to all Authors, Reviewers, Editors, and Readers for their substantial contribution to the development of our journal. It is thanks to your diligent work and dedication that we have attained a standard of excellence.
Starting next year, Dent Med Probl will transition to a bimonthly publication schedule. Additionally, new article types, including perspective, comment, research highlights, statement, clinical/scientific guidelines, and research letters, will be introduced. We want to assure all Authors and Readers that maintaining superior publishing standards remains our top priority. We strongly encourage all scientists to submit manuscripts of high-quality content related to oral health and general medicine to our journal.