Exploratory investigation of patterns of forensic odontology interest #worldresearchawards

Exploratory Investigation of Patterns of Forensic Odontology Interest: A 20-Year Multilingual Global Analysis

Introduction

Forensic Odontology (FO) plays a vital role in human identification, disaster victim identification, age estimation, bite mark analysis, and medico-legal investigations. Despite its scientific and legal importance, public awareness and digital interest in the field vary significantly across regions. Understanding these patterns can help shape forensic education, training capacity, and policy development worldwide.

This study provides the first multilingual global assessment of digital interest in forensic odontology using 20 years of Google Trends data (2004–2024).

Why Study Digital Interest in Forensic Odontology?

In the digital era, online search behavior reflects public curiosity, academic engagement, and professional demand. Google Trends has become a powerful infodemiology tool to measure public interest in health sciences and emerging disciplines.

However, most prior analyses rely only on English search terms, which introduces language bias and underrepresents non-English speaking countries. This study addresses that limitation by integrating both English and official local-language equivalents.

Study Objective

The primary aim was to evaluate global trends in public interest in forensic odontology by:

• Analyzing multilingual Google Trends data across 54 countries

• Comparing developed and developing nations

• Reducing linguistic bias through verified local-language search terms

• Identifying long-term temporal and seasonal patterns

Methodology Overview

A retrospective, search-based trend analysis was conducted from January 2004 to October 2024.

Search Terms Included:

• “Forensic odontology”

• “Forensic dentistry”

• Verified local-language equivalents such as:

  • forensische zahnmedizin

  • odontologia legal

  • odontologie medico-legale

Countries were classified based on United Nations (2022) socioeconomic categories:

• Group I – Developed countries

• Group II – Developing countries

Statistical Analysis

Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression with Newey–West standard errors was used to account for temporal autocorrelation and long-term dependencies.

Key Findings

1. Overall Global Interest

Global interest in forensic odontology remained relatively low but stable over the 20-year period.

2. Academic-Seasonal Patterns

Clear seasonal search patterns were observed in India and the United States. These peaks aligned with:

• University semesters

• Academic examinations

• Major forensic events

This suggests academic cycles significantly influence digital search behavior.

3. Terminology Preferences

“Forensic odontology” was searched more frequently than “forensic dentistry.” However, terminology preference varied by region and language.

The addition of local-language terms increased search intensity in several countries, improving data representativeness.

4. Socioeconomic Disparities

Developed countries showed significantly higher average multilingual Relative Search Volumes (RSVs) than developing countries.

Statistical output:

• Coefficient = −0.79

• 95% Confidence Interval: −0.99 to −0.58

• p < 0.001

This confirms that socioeconomic development, educational infrastructure, and linguistic accessibility strongly influence digital engagement in forensic sciences.

5. Heat Map and Time-Series Insights

Visual analysis revealed:

• Persistent inter-country disparities

• Consistent intra-country differences

• Strong association with educational and research capacity

Why Multilingual Data Matters

Relying solely on English search terms can distort global analysis. By integrating local-language equivalents, this study:

• Reduced language bias

• Improved regional accuracy

• Enhanced cross-country comparability

• Preserved overall directional trends

The multilingual dataset provided a more realistic representation of global interest.

Implications for Forensic Science

This research has important implications:

• Supports global forensic education planning

• Identifies regions needing capacity building

• Helps policymakers allocate training resources

• Encourages multilingual digital outreach strategies

• Promotes international collaboration in forensic sciences

Conclusion

This 20-year multilingual Google Trends analysis presents the first global digital map of forensic odontology interest. While overall public interest remains modest, clear socioeconomic and linguistic disparities persist.

Incorporating multilingual datasets and predictive analytics offers a stronger framework for understanding global engagement in forensic sciences. Such approaches can guide strategic investments in education, research infrastructure, and professional development.