Submissions

Author Guidelines

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

Preparation of Manuscript

• Format: The main document should be prepared in Microsoft Word. Manuscripts should be adapted according to template style (Title, Anonymous manuscript, Undertaking by author). Text should be aligned justified throughout. Continuous line numbering and page numbers should be added at the bottom right corner.
• Arrangement: The manuscript should be organized as follows: Title Page, Abstract, Main Text, Methodology, Units of Measurement, Tables, Illustrations, Results, Discussion/Conclusion, Acknowledgments, Author Contributions, Conflict of Interest, and References.
• Abbreviations: Avoid abbreviations in titles. Abbreviations may be used in the abstract but should be defined upon first use. Do not start sentences with numbers. Gene names should follow the official symbols provided by the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
• Article Types: The journal accepts Original Articles, Review Articles, Bibliometric analyses, Case Reports, Short Communications, Case Studies, Letters to the Editor, Commentary, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice (KAP) studies, Protocols, Correspondence, Editorials and Survey reports.

Manuscript should follow the EQUATOR (Enhancing the Quality and Transparency Of health Research) Network (https://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/), which main aim is to enhance the quality of research publications. The following EQUATOR guidelines are mandatory and should be followed by authors:

Randomized controlled trials – CONSORT (https://www.consort-spirit.org/)

Systematic reviews – PRISMA (https://www.prisma-statement.org/)

Observational studies – STROBE (https://www.strobe-statement.org/)

Case reports – CARE (https://www.care-statement.org/)

Qualitative research – COREQ (https://academic.oup.com/intqhc/article/19/6/349/1791966)

Pre-clinical animal studies – ARRIVE (https://arriveguidelines.org/)

The JBCD strictly follows ICMJE (https://www.icmje.org/) and COPE (https://publicationethics.org/ ) guidelines and regulations.

General Guidelines

A: Title Page

• A.1: Article Title: Provide a descriptive title. Ensure the title is concise, informative, and facilitates electronic retrieval.
• A.2: Author Information: List each author's highest departmental and institutional affiliations, and contact information for the corresponding author(s).
• A.3: Disclaimers: Include any disclaimers, such as statements that the views expressed are personal and not those of the institution.
• A.4: Source(s) of Support: Acknowledge any grants, equipment, or other support.

The following declarations should be stated in Title page for all types of papers (in case if Not applicable, please mention “NOT APPLICABLE”):

Ethical Approval

Informed consent statement

Consent for publication

Availability of data and materials

Conflict of interests: Disclose any conflicts of interest. If none, state “No conflict of interest to declare” or “Authors report no conflict of interest.”

Funding: Please clearly state the funding sources.

Author Contributions: Detail each author's contributions to the manuscript. Order of authors cannot be changed post-submission without written consent from all authors. Authorship should be based on substantial contributions to conception, design, data acquisition or analysis, drafting or revising the article, and final approval. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged.

Conceptualization, X.X.; methodology, X.X.; software, X.X.; validation, X.X. and Y.Y.; formal analysis, X.X.; investigation, X.X. and Y.Y.; resources, X.X.; data curation, X.X.; writing—original draft preparation, X.X.; writing—review and editing, X.X.  and Y.Y.; visualization, X.X.; supervision, X.X.; project administration, X.X. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Acknowledgments: Acknowledge contributions, funding sources, and permissions for reprinted material.

B: Abstract

• Structured Abstract (up to 300 words): For Original Articles, Narrative Reviews, Bibliometric analyses, Systematic Reviews, and Meta-analysis. Include:
• B.1: Objective: State the study's purpose or question.
• B.2: Materials and Methods: Summarize methods and study design.
• B.3: Results: Present key findings with data and statistical details.
• B.4: Conclusion: Discuss the significance of findings.
• B.5: Keywords: Use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms.
• Unstructured Abstract (300 words): For Case Reports and Short Communications. State the purpose, duration, location, basic procedure, main findings, and conclusion.

C: Main Text

• Original Articles, Systematic Reviews, Meta-analysis, Bibliometric analysis, Short Communications: Structure as Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions.
• Case Reports/Case Series: Structure as Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, Conclusion, Each section should start on a new page.

D: Abbreviations

• Use standard abbreviations. Define abbreviations upon first use unless they are standard units of measurement.

E: Materials and Methods

• Provide detailed methods to allow replication. Include study design, sampling methods, apparatus (with manufacturer details), and statistical methods. State ethical approval from an independent review body.

F: Tables

• Format: Use MS Word or MS Excel for tables, which should be editable files.
• Content: Provide a short, explanatory title above each table. Define abbreviations in footnotes.

G: Illustrations (Figures)

• Format: Submit high-resolution digital images. Place figures titles below the figure.  Explain symbols, arrows, and other notations clearly.

H: Results

• Present results logically without repeating data from tables. Highlight significant observations and include numeric results along with absolute numbers.

I: Discussion

• Summarize main results, compare with published studies, and state relevance and future research directions. Avoid repeating details from other sections and acknowledge study limitations.

J: Units of Measurement

• Use metric units for length, height, weight, and volume. Report temperatures in Celsius and blood pressures in millimeters of mercury. Include both local and international units where applicable.

K: References

• Style: Follow Vancouver Style. References should be cited in-text using sequential numerical superscripts. Arrange references numerically in the reference section.
• Examples:
• Journal Reference: Smith JA, Johnson RW, Williams LM. The attitude of dental students toward COVID-19 pandemic. Altamash J Dent Med 2022;10(3):245-252. DOI: 10.1234/ajdm.2022.123456789.
• Book Reference: Alnasir SD. Dental impression techniques in fixed prosthodontics. 2nd ed. London: SAGE; 2006.
• Book Chapter Reference: Johnson LM, Anderson BE. Renal, Hepatic, and Pancreatic Physiology. In: Thompson EC, Davis MJ, Jenkins PS, Williams QL, Turner A, Eds. Surgical Physiology: Fundamentals and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Chicago: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2018: p.211-44.
• URL: Necrotizing Periodontitis, Adult. Universiti Sains Malaysia, College of Dentistry, Department of Periodontology and Vision Sciences. Available at: http://disorders.gingiva.USM.edu/gingiva/necrotizing_periodontitis_adult. (Accessed 8/14/2022).

ARTICLE CATEGORIES

A: ORIGINAL ARTICLE

A manuscript will be considered in the original article category if it is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) or an Observational Study.

• RCT should be registered with an International RCT Registry (Trial Registration Number mandatory).
• The cross-sectional/case-control studies should adhere to the STROBE guidelines.
• The trial/experimental clinical studies should follow CONSORT guidelines.
• Retrospective studies with an adequate sample size supported by appropriate advanced statistical analysis may also be considered in this category.
• The keywords should include terms not used in the title.
• Data should be supported by enough and relevant references, which should include both local and international references, with most references from the last five years from the date of submission.

B: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

• A structured abstract of 300 words, including details for background, objectives, methodology (following PRISMA guidelines), results, conclusion, and keywords.
• The main sections should focus on Introduction, methodology (based on PRISMA guidelines), results, discussion, conclusion, limitations, and recommendations.
• The latest references should be written in Vancouver style.
• A maximum of 100 references.
• Section headings of the main text should be the same as original articles.

C: CASE REPORT/CASE SERIES

• Unstructured abstract: Not more than 300 words.
• Case/case series should follow CARE guidelines.

D: SHORT COMMUNICATION

• Non-structured abstract of up to 300 words with 6 keywords.
• Communications regarding research studies should be written in plain text (without headings) but containing a brief Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion in separate paragraphs and references
• Short communication regarding topic reviews should comprise a non-structured abstract, Introduction, Methods, Search results, Discussion, and references,

E: LETTER TO THE EDITOR

• Abstract and Keywords: Not required.
• Should not be signed by more than 3 authors.
• Preferably, no section headings are required in the main text; however, state acknowledgments (if any), disclaimer, conflict of interest, ethical statement, and author contributions before the references.
• Letters to the Editor may be edited for clarity or length and may be subject to peer review at the Editor's discretion.

F: COMMENTARY

• The submission should adhere to a maximum length of 10 manuscript pages, with a succinct and well-constructed commentary spanning four to six pages being more favorably received.
• Authors should not summarize the focal article but should give the reference, assuming the reader has just read it, and move directly to identifying the key issues.
• Avoid general praise for the focal article.
• Use only essential citations.
• A short title that emphasizes the key message should be used.
• Non-structured abstract may be included.
• Clear take-home message should be conveyed.
• Preferably, section headings are required in the main text, but acknowledgment(s), disclaimer, conflict of interest, and author contributions should be mentioned in the Title page
• Ensure full author information (name, affiliation, address, phone, email) for all authors.

PUBLICATION MISCONDUCT

• When potential publication misconduct is detected, the journal contacts the corresponding author and asks for an explanation based on the evidence.
• If the authors do not respond or their explanation isn't sufficient, the journal takes steps including rejecting the manuscript (if unpublished) or retracting it (if published).
• Journal retractions are announced in both print and online versions of the journal, and authors involved are blacklisted, preventing future submissions.
• The journal adopts strict measures against plagiarism and other unethical publishing practices, including fabrication, falsification, salami slicing, duplicate submission, redundant publication, multiple submission, and misleading reporting or referencing.

PERMISSION FOR RE-PUBLICATION

• A permission letter from both the author(s) and editor of the original (previous) publication is mandatory for including previously published tables, illustrations, or photographs.
• Written authorization to reproduce photographs of patients, where their identity is not concealed, must accompany the manuscript. In the absence of such permission, the eyes of the individuals should be obscured.
• References to medications should use the generic name, with the commercial name mentioned in brackets if necessary.
• Authors must declare any financial relationships with the producers of referenced medicines, devices, or materials, as well as any other potential conflicts of interest.
• Interventional studies require ethical approval from the Institutional Ethical and Research Committee before submission.
• Authors of interventional studies must discuss ethical concerns related to the intervention, additional testing costs, and the management of control groups in case-control comparison trials.
• Researchers affiliated with multiple institutions need to provide letters of permission from the relevant ethics boards or institute heads as proof of affiliation.

PEER-REVIEW POLICY

• The JBCD has a uniform, structured, double-blind peer-review process.
• Upon receiving a manuscript, the journal conducts an initial editorial review to assess suitability according to the JBCD guidelines and format.
• Manuscripts suitable for review are processed further, while others are returned to the corresponding author for necessary amendments.
• The corresponding author can track the progress of the review process through a login account created for this purpose.
• A plagiarism check using "Turnitin" software is conducted within 48 hours of manuscript submission. Manuscripts with detected plagiarism below 10% proceed to peer review.
• The article undergoes a comprehensive review process in two rounds: initial review and subsequent round. Reviewers are allotted a week to submit their reviews, and authors are given feedback for necessary revisions.
• Revised documents are resubmitted for further evaluation, with the entire review process possibly extending up to two weeks.
• If necessary, amendments are incorporated properly, the editorial board decides whether the manuscript needs further review or not.
• Manuscripts with plagiarism exceeding the 10% threshold are halted, and the corresponding author is notified. The matter is resolved with caution, considering plagiarism a serious issue.
• Accepted manuscripts are sent for publication after the reviewer's endorsement and final proofreading by the author.
• The comprehensive process of article publication spans approximately 3 to 4 months.

COPYRIGHT POLICY

• The JBCD owns all copyright to any work published by the journal. Authors transfer the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), allowing others to share the work with acknowledgment of the authorship and initial publication in this journal.
• Manuscript submission is accompanied by a letter of undertaking signed by all authors confirming exclusive submission to the journal.
• Only original material is accepted for publication, with the understanding that no part of the data has been published or will be submitted for publication elsewhere before appearing in this journal.
• The Editorial Board ensures the accuracy and authenticity of material printed in the journal. However, conclusions and statements expressed are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board.
• If the manuscript is rejected, the copyright transfers back to the authors.

PLAGIARISM POLICY

• Every article undergoes a thorough plagiarism check using "Turnitin" software.
• The primary individual responsible for the content is allotted a period of one week to review the results and address any potential instances of plagiarism.
• Upon obtaining a satisfactory report with a similarity index below 10%, the document proceeds to peer review.
• Documents with a similarity index equal to or exceeding 5% from any individual source, lacking proper citation, require revision. The document is returned to the author for necessary revisions, reducing the similarity index within permissible limits.
• Non-compliance by the author results in formal rejection of the manuscript. This decision upholds the quality and integrity of the scholarly content.
• Severe offenses may lead to the rejection of the published article and potential prohibition of the author(s) from future contributions to the Journal.
• Confidentiality of both the author under investigation and the individual who filed the plagiarism complaint is maintained throughout the proceedings.

POLICY ON PRE-PRINT ARTICLES PUBLICATION

• An article already published on a pre-print website is not acceptable to the JBCD without prior permission from the authors and the open publication policy of the respective website.
• Authors transfer the copyright of the article to JBCD upon submission.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

• Authors intending to withdraw a manuscript during its processing must send an email notification.
• A final withdrawal confirmation letter from the editorial office confirms the withdrawal.
• Without a formal email of withdrawal, a manuscript is not considered withdrawn, and use elsewhere constitutes ethical misconduct.

PRIVACY POLICY

• The JBCD is committed to maintaining confidence and trust with respect to the information it collects from its viewers/users.
• Names and email addresses entered in the journal site are used exclusively for the stated purposes of the journal and are not made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

COMPLAINT POLICY

• The JBCD is open to constructive criticism, concerns, and suggestions.
• The journal offers an email address ([email protected]) for inquiries or complaints.

DISCLOSURE POLICY

• Upon submission of a manuscript to the JBCD, authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could potentially bias their work.
• Authors must disclose in writing any relationships, conditions, and circumstances that may influence their work or compromise the manuscript's objectivity and impartiality.
• Authors must disclose sources of funding for the work submitted and the roles of any sponsors in the preparation, review, and approval of the manuscript.
• Potential conflicts of interest should be declared in the Conflict-of-Interest section of the manuscript.

OPEN ACCESS POLICY

• Articles published in JBCD are freely available online to the global community.
• Open access allows for the dissemination of scholarly knowledge, promoting greater visibility and impact.

POLICY FOR SELECTION OF EDITORS, REVIEWERS, AND OTHER EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

• The chief editor, along with the editor and advisors of the Journal of Basic and Clinical Dentistry (JBCD), is responsible for selecting the editors, reviewers, and other editorial board members. Their job descriptions are based on the vision and mission of the Journal of Basic and Clinical Dentistry.