Profile and scientific production of Brazilian researchers in dental materials

Aim: To describe the demographic characteristics and academic production of the National Council for the Development of Science and Technology (CNPq) researchers whose areas of expertise focus on dental materials. Methods: Secondary data were obtained from the details of dentistry researchers registered as receiving a CNPq grant for scientific productivity. Variables such as gender, category of scientific productivity grant, time of completion of PhD program, geographical distribution and affiliated institution, scientific production and human resources training were analyzed. Data from 2007-2009 triennium were considered. Mann-Whitney and chisquare tests compared the variables. Results: Researchers in categories 1A + 1B are those who completed their PhD program more than 14 years ago. All (100%) of dental material researchers are dentists and affiliated to universities, being approximately 92% of those affiliated to public institutions. Male gender (62.2%) and category 2 grant (40.5%) are prevalent, and a high concentration of CNPq grantees in the southeastern region (75.7%) was observed. In general, there was a predominance of publications in CAPES Qualis B journals (59.0%), but a predominance of publications by new doctors in CAPES Qualis A2 and B1 journals was found. A higher mean of publications of book chapters (0.97) compared with full publications of books (0.43) per researcher was observed. Annually, researchers supervised more scientific initiation grants (median = 0.45), followed by doctoral (mean = 0.36) and master students (median = 0.30). Conclusions: There is a high concentration of researchers in the southeastern region, predominance of male gender and scholars in grant category 2. Publications are mainly in CAPES Qualis B journals. and researchers in grant categories 1C and 1D and with less time doctoral produce more publications. The publication of books chapters is larger than entire books. The researchers supervised more undergraduate students, followed by PhD and master’s degree students annually