Research Productivity Among Orthodontic Residents and Fellows Across Training Programs in the United States

Background: Orthodontic residency programs increasingly expect residents to present research and publish in peer-reviewed journals, yet resident satisfaction with research opportunities remains low. Historical data indicate declining research productivity, but comprehensive current assessments are lacking. Objective: This study aims to quantify and characterize research productivity among orthodontic residents and fellows across training programs in the United States. Materials and methods: Using ADEA Pass, we identified orthodontic residency and fellowship programs and compiled rosters for graduating classes 2025-2028. For each trainee, we recorded demographics and training details and conducted systematic PubMed searches to identify publications. Publications were analyzed for authorship position, article type, timing relative to residency, dental relevance, journal impact factor, and citation counts. Statistical analyses compared productivity by sex and post-graduate year (PGY) status. Results: Among 686 residents and fellows from 42 programs, only 157/686 (23%) had at least one publication, with an average of 0.5 ± 1.8 total publications per trainee. The cohort produced 369 publications, predominantly basic science (152/369, 41%), and published pre-residency (298/369, 81%). Only 73/369 (20%) were first-author publications. PGY 2 residents consistently outperformed residents in other years across all metrics. Males had a higher proportion of dental-related publications than females (114/158 males, 72% vs 135/211 females, 64%; χ²(1, 369) = 3.96, P = 0.029). Comparing final-year residents, longer program duration (3 vs 2 years) did not significantly increase publication output. Conclusions: Most orthodontic trainees have minimal research involvement, with publications concentrated among a few high-output individuals. Despite expectations for scholarly activity, current research productivity suggests inadequate mentorship, resources, or time dedicated to research. Programs must enhance research infrastructure to ensure trainees can critically evaluate and contribute to evolving orthodontic literature.