NEW CHALLENGES IN PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY RESEARCH

We have to keep in mind that we aim to improve knowledge on children’s health status when we start a research protocol, and not only to publish our results in a scientific journal. It has to be meaningful and help to construct the evidence. The “publish or perish” is past due, and we might focus on quality rather than quantitative metrics.  The number of publications grew tremendously in the past ten years, but unfortunately, the quality did not develop at the same level. There are so many references that support almost all hypotheses, no matter how crazy they might sound. In this sense, we came up with the idea in an editorial that “reference is not evidence” and will discuss it intensely in the presentation.

The research design quality and transparency are vital ingredients for the new scientific era, and avoiding research waste is imperative to be discussed and taught in academia. This presentation aims to discuss ideas for open science and educate the new researchers’ and consequently reviewers’ generation to be in line with the best scientific practices, avoiding “spin” in research.

The experience as the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry (IJPD) Editor in Chief will serve as the background for the discussion.