Objective   To analyze the hot research topics and frontiers of preclinical dentistry education with bibliometric methods.

  Methods   We launched searches in the Web of Science Core Collection database to find relevant literature on preclinical dentistry education, with the time frame of the searches limited between the creation of the database and January 1, 2022. After data extraction, we used the CiteSpace software to conduct visualized analysis of a number of factors, including the number of publications, countries, institutions, authors, keywords, etc.

  Results   A total of 322 articles and reviews were included in the study, and the annual publication volume showed a trend of steady growth in the past decade. With 98 papers, the United States had the most number of published papers. The United States and the United Kingdom were important countries in the national cooperation network. There were 10 institutions that published more than 5 articles. The total number of authors of the papers covered in the study was as many as 410. One author published 4 articles and was the most published author among them. The hot research topics of preclinical dentistry education included computer-assisted instruction, instructional methodology, clinical skills and 3D printing. Moreover, computer-assisted instruction was the new hot issue of the past decade. Besides, technology, restoration, clinic skills and communication skills were identified as novel research frontiers.

  Conclusion   Visualized analysis of the research literature generates an intuitive understanding of hot research topics and frontiers of preclinical dentistry education, which provides references for future studies.