Citation Characteristics of H-Classics Articles in Implant Dentistry: A Citation Analysis Using H-Classics Method

Purpose: Citation-based metrics, such as the H-classics method, have been used as an indicator to assess academic performance in the scientific community. However, information addressing issues regarding self-citation, citation halflife, and subject area of origin in implant dentistry is lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the citation characteristics of H-classics articles in implant dentistry throughout different time periods. Materials and Methods: H-classics implant dentistry articles were searched and selected by applying the H-classics method from the Scopus database. Bibliometric analysis was conducted to evaluate the citation characteristics, including institutional and journal self-citation, citation half-life, and subject area of origin of identified H-classics articles. Results: The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants and Clinical Oral Implants Research are the leading journals contributing the majority of citations to the retrieved H-classics articles. Articles published in the United States cited the most H-classics articles. Journal self-citation was 12.41% on average, while institutional self-citation was approximately 7.81%. Citation half-life decreased significantly across time periods, with an average decreasing ratio of 43.95%. Research on Scope III, bioengineering interventions, had the most prominent distribution citation frequency in the subject area "Others." Conclusion: This study provides insightful views regarding citation characteristics of H-classics articles in implant dentistry (eg, interdisciplinary publications on bioengineering interventions) during the investigation periods, which may foster the translation of preclinical research into clinical applications in the future. Keywords: bibliometrics, citation analysis, citation half-life, H-classics, implant dentistry, self-citation