PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched up to November 2014 for studies that reported at least one FPP of abstracts presented at dental conferences, with a follow-up length of no less than 48 months.
Sixteen studies involving 10,365 abstracts presented at 52 conferences were included. The pooled FPP was 29.62% (95% confidence interval: 22.90%, 36.81%) for all presented abstracts and 51.97% (95% confidence interval: 43.19%, 60.70%) for randomized controlled trial abstracts. Abstract characteristics significantly associated with higher FPP included reporting of statistical analysis (P < 0.001), oral presentation (P < 0.001), basic science research (P = 0.047), and reporting of financial support (P = 0.009). Abstracts with positive (P = 0.29) or statistically significant results (P = 0.33) were not published more often than negative or nonsignificant results, respectively. In multivariable meta-regression analysis, conferences held in Asia (P < 0.001) and at a continental rather than national level (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher FPP.
Less than one-third of abstracts presented at dental conferences were published in full more than 4 years after conference presentation.