Journal profile · Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Clinical Oral Investigations
ISSN 1432-6981 · eISSN 1436-3771 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Quarterly · Founded 1997
Clinical Oral Investigations: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.55; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,790; median 118 days to acceptance (152 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 603 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Clinical Oral Investigations is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 2 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Dental materials and restorations, Oral microbiology and periodontitis research and Endodontics and Root Canal Treatments, together about 33.2% of its articles. Its main subfields are Orthodontics and Oral Surgery. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
It is the primary aim of this international journal to be a multidisciplinary forum for publications from all fields of oral medicine. Especially, it is intended to create a connection between basic and clinical sciences and thus promote the exchange of information and the advancement of oral medicine for the benefit of patients. Clinical Oral Investigations publishes original scientific articles and invited reviews which provide an international readership with up-to-date results of basic and clinical studies in the field of oral and maxillofacial science and medicine and aims to clarify the relevance of these results for a modern practice. Covered topics are: Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Prosthetics and Restorative Dentistry, Operative Dentistry, Endodontics, Periodontology, Orthodontics, Dental Materials Science, Clinical Trials, Epidemiology, Pedodontics, Oral Implant, Preventive Dentistiry, Oral Pathology, Oral Basic Sciences. The submission of Case Reports is generally discouraged. Founded in 1997 Founding Editors: G. Schmalz, W. Geurtsen, M. Goldberg, J. Gwinnett, E. Hjörting-Hansen, N. Lang, D. van Steenberghe
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Editor-in-chief Matthias HannigPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 5 in mainland China (about 7%); most named Germany 21, Switzerland 11, United States 6, Mainland China 5, United Kingdom 4 (76 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Dental materials and restorationsDentistry12.1%
- Oral microbiology and periodontitis researchDentistry11.4%
- Endodontics and Root Canal TreatmentsDentistry9.7%
- Dental Health and Care UtilizationDentistry7%
- Dental Erosion and TreatmentDentistry7%
- Dental Implant Techniques and OutcomesDentistry6.6%
- Dental Radiography and ImagingDentistry6.5%
- Orthodontics and Dentofacial OrthopedicsDentistry5.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINECurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.55LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6.5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.5LetPub ·
- h-index
- 69LetPub ·
- h-index
- 140OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,596OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.12OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 5.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 40.82%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 573LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 2,700,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 7,508 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 456 | 262 | 158 |
| 2025 | 603 | 302 | 2,018 |
| 2024 | 657 | 305 | 4,901 |
| 2023 | 618 | 294 | 7,261 |
| 2022 | 524 | 250 | 8,391 |
| 2021 | 607 | 256 | 14,104 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
118 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 84 days – 182 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 9 days (152 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 131 days
- Sample
- 152 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,215 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer review, Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,790 / EUR 3,790 / GBP 2,990 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Page charges
- No page charges
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare9 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 4,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
- Not considered
- case reports; pilot studies
Article types accepted12, with length limits
- brief reportunt as two figures); Max 120 references Brief Report – with up to 2000 words and up to two figures and/or tables Correspondence (Discussmain text ≤ 2,000 words
- case reportPapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
- correspondence (discussion paper)Correspondence (Discussion paper)Length not stated
- debate (letter to the editor)Debate (Letter to the Editor)Length not stated
- editorialClinical Oral Investigations operates a single-blind peer-review system, where the reviewers are aware of the names and affiliations of the authors, but the rev…Length not stated
- letter to the editorPapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
- perspectivePapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
- research articlePapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
- reviewPapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
- review articlePapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
- surveyPapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
- viewpointPapers may be submitted for the following sections: Research Article An Article is a substantial, in-depth, novel research study of interest to the readership o…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
Structured abstract 150-250 words with specific sections Model summary
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data transparency requested Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
Retrospective ethics approval usually not accepted Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Permissions required for previously published material Model summary
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Clinical Oral Investigations, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Single-blind peer review Model summary
Clinical Oral Investigations operates a single-blind peer-review system, where the reviewers are aware of the names and affiliations of the authors, but the reviewer reports provided to authors are anonymous.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints
No case reports or pilot studies accepted Model summary
It is the general policy of this journal not to accept case reports and pilot studies.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
Clinical trials must be registered prior to submission of manuscripts. The registration site must be publicly available in English. Recommended sites are: https://www.isrctn.com ; https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu; https://clinicaltrials.gov or similar. The registration number is required for the submission and must appear on the title page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 1997
- ISSN
- 1432-6981
- Electronic ISSN
- 1436-3771
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Clinical Oral Investigations
What CAS zone is Clinical Oral Investigations in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Clinical Oral Investigations is in Zone 2 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Clinical Oral Investigations?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.55; CiteScore 6.5, h-index 140.
How long does peer review take at Clinical Oral Investigations?
Based on the dates recorded on 152 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 118 days (interquartile range 84–182 days); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Clinical Oral Investigations?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Manuscript length: ≤ 4,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Clinical Oral Investigations based?
Of the 76 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 5 (about 7%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (21), Switzerland (11) and United States (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Clinical Oral Investigations?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Clinical Oral Investigations is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Clinical Oral Investigations open access, and what is the APC?
Clinical Oral Investigations is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,790.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .