[The French Journal of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery: what is the future?].
A scientific journal reflects the dynamics of a specialty and should allow wide diffusion of clinical as well as fundamental research findings in order for all practitioners to keep up with changes in their specialty. These objectives are totally different from a journal designed to meet teaching objectives where general reviews, technical notes or clinical cases are in the forefront. The purpose of this work was to determine the current role of the Revue de Stomatologie et de Chirurgie Maxillo-faciale in an attempt to determine future perspectives.


METHODS
A Medline research was conducted for the period 1998-2000 to ascertain what French papers in the field of stomatology and maxillo-facial surgery had been published in indexed international reviews devoted to the specialty or related areas. The results obtained were compared with articles submitted for publication in the Revue de Stomatologie et de Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale in 1999.


RESULTS
Nineteen French papers were published in indexed international journals. These papers included 10 original articles, 8 cases reports and one technical note. The 10 original articles issued from 8 different centers and the 19 papers from 12 centers. During 1999, 96 papers were submitted to the Revue de Stomatologie et de Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale for publication. Before acceptation, these papers included original articles (25%) case reports (45%) and technical notes or reviews (30%). In all, 18 original articles issuing from 10 different centers, the same centers that had published in the indexed international journals, were published.


CONCLUSIONS
Considering that the substance of a scientific review lies in the abundance of its original articles, whether the work reports fundamental or clinical research, but more particularly clinical research for a surgery review, one is obliged to observe that the volume of French publications produced annually is insufficient to fullfil the objectives of a truly scientific journal. The 45% submission rate of case reports is in line with this observation. The number of international publications clearly does not explain this situation since globally, over a 2.5 year period, the number of original articles published was to order of one-third of the number published in the Revue de Stomatologie et de Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale in the single year of 1999, and since the teams involved were the same.
Bettega
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Service de Chirurgie Plastique et Maxillo-Faciale, Hôpital Michallon, CHU de Grenoble, BP 217, 38043 Grenoble.
D018865:Dental Research; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005544:Forecasting; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D019242:Oral Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000639:trends*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000639:trends*; D011643:Publishing; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000193:education / Q000639:trends*; D013663:Teaching; D013674:Technology, Dental