HMN 2026: What are the merits of open data in dental research

The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research and the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research have published an editorial exploring the benefits of open data in the Journal of Dental Research (JDR) and the JDR Clinical & Translational Research (JDR CTR).

Scientific research is a lengthy and costly endeavor. It can take years and the collaborative efforts of a team of researchers to gather data for a high-quality manuscript. In the traditional model of scientific publication, these data are summarized in graphs, tables, and carefully selected exemplar images that lead the reader through the story.

While this approach facilitates understanding of the work, the failure to share original research data that have not been transformed or processed is an opportunity lost. Making raw data openly available in an accessible format and appropriately annotated, allows validation of the work through replication, enables integration of findings into broader systematic reviews, and supports the reuse of data for additional analyses.

Difficulties in making data fully open should not prevent the attempt to do so, as openness can be successfully promoted through controlled and well-governed access.

Therefore, the JDR and JDR CTR have updated their policies to require the sharing of data in articles. The editors of both journals recognize the difficulties with sharing certain data types, so exceptions will be permitted. However, the open sharing of data will be the default and the expectation in most cases.

There are many different repositories for sharing data and guidelines have been published to help authors comply with open data principles. Adherence to these principles will ensure transparency and will help to maximize the benefits from investment in research.

Provided by
International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research

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