Spanish dentistry has once again been recognized internationally for its scientific excellence with the inclusion of 13 researchers in the list of the most relevant scientists in the world, in the new edition of the Stanford University ranking (Ranking of the World Scientists: World´ s Top 2% Scientists).

The classification, prepared by the prestigious Californian university and published by Elsevier , identifies the researchers whose works have been most cited during their scientific career evaluated between the years 1996-2021 and also during part of the last year 2022. This ranking is based on several parameters that include the number of indexed publications, citations received, h-index, co-authorship and a composite indicator (score). As a result, a database of more than 195,000 top scientists in various fields has been created, representing 2% of the world's leading researchers.

Particularly, in the area of ​​Dentistry, it identifies 1,573 researchers in the world, and that list includes 13 Spanish researchers (see Table 1), three more than in the previous edition of the ranking. As in the previous year, the first on that list continues to be Dr. Eduardo Anitua, director of the University Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Oral Implantology (UIRMI), who also occupies a very prominent place in the global ranking of Dentistry, in the position number 56 worldwide. He is followed by Dr. Mariano Sanz, from the Complutense University of Madrid, who is ranked 140th in the world ranking.

In the list we also find doctors David Herrera (Complutense University), Miguel Ángel González-Moles (Granada University), Cosme Gay-Escoda (Teknon Medical Center), José Bagán (Valencia University), Manuel Toledano (Granada University ), Pía López-Jornet (University of Murcia), Raquel Osorio (University of Granada), Juan J. Segura-Egea (University of Seville), Abel García-García (University of Santiago de Compostela), Pedro Diz Dios (University of Santiago de Compostela) and Raúl González-García (University Hospital of Badajoz). 

The Stanford data also identifies the most influential researchers in the last year, based on the scientific impact of their work during the year 2021. In this sense, in the area of ​​Dentistry, in addition to the aforementioned scientists, others also appear. influential Spanish researchers such as Alberto Monje (International University of Catalonia), Elena Figuero (Complutense University), Federico Hernández-Alfaro (International University of Catalonia), Juan José Segura-Egea (University of Seville), Pedro Bullón (University of Seville), Pablo Galindo (University of Granada), Javier Montero (University of Salamanca), Carlos Aparicio (Zaga Center Barcelona), Eduard Valmaseda-Castellón (University of Barcelona),José Manuel Aguirre-Urizar (University of the Basque Country) and Ignacio Sanz-Sánchez (Complutense University), among others.

In this most recent list of influence, Dr. Anitua is again the first of the Spanish dentists, occupying position 22 in the world, followed by Dr. Mariano Sanz, who occupies position 37 worldwide.

Appearing on this list of the most cited researchers in the world represents important international recognition of the scientific quality of those who make it up, since this is currently one of the most prestigious rankings of researchers worldwide.

In the words of the president of the General Council of Dentists of Spain, Dr. Óscar Castro Reino, “it is an honor that Spanish Dentistry has such prestigious researchers. My most sincere congratulations to all the recognized dentists, for their dedication, work and tenacity in this profession that we share”.