Global Trends and Shifts in Infection Control Research in Dentistry: A Bibliometric Comparison of the Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to perform a bibliometric analysis of scientific articles on infection control in dentistry from 2014 to 2025, with a comparative evaluation of research trends before (2014-2019) and after (2020-2025) the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection on March 31, 2025, using the query terms “infection control” and “dentistry.” Only full-text, English-language original research articles were included; reviews, case reports, letters, and editorials were excluded. Duplicate records were removed. Analyses were conducted using bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer software. Results: A total of 2305 articles met the criteria (2014-2019: 1002; 2020-2025: 1303). The number of publications increased by 30.03% (from 1002 to 1303) in the post-pandemic period, while the mean citations per article decreased by 68.41% (from 25.95 to 8.196). The most frequent keywords after 2020 included “COVID-19,” “infection control,” and “SARS-CoV-2.” The United States, Japan, and Brazil were the most productive countries. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected infection control research in dentistry in terms of both volume and thematic focus. The findings highlight a substantial transformation in the literature and offer a comprehensive perspective on the evolving direction of research in this field.