Profile of Brazilian scientific research in pediatric dentistry based on the 26th Annual Meeting of the SBPqO

purpose: to describe the brazilian scientific research in pediatric dentistry in 2009 based on the 26th annual meeting of the sbpqo (brazilian division of the iadr). methods: all studies on pediatric dentistry were selected from the abstracts presented at the 26th annual meeting of the sbpqo in 2009. they were assessed in terms of subjects, methodology and sampling units. results: of the 2,648 abstracts presented, 7.7% were on pediatric dentistry, thereby representing the field with the 4th greatest participation in the meeting. the southeast was the most productive region in brazil, accounting for 70.1% of abstracts. a wide range of subjects were addressed: dental trauma (5.4%), diagnosis of dental caries (4.9%), diet and dental caries (4.4%), endodontic medication (4.4%), developmental enamel defects (3.4%), glass ionomer cement (3.4%), and dental care for pregnant women (3.4%). the cross-sectional design was the most prevalent type of study (52.5%), followed by in vitro studies (23.5%). only 2.5% of the abstracts were randomized controlled trials. a total of 41.7% of the studies included children aged 0 to 11 years old, while 14.7% used human deciduous teeth. conclusion: pediatric dentistry played an important role in brazilian scientific research in 2009, presenting a broad diversity of subjects and methodological approaches.