Confidentiality and Ethics

Editors at the Journal of Clinical Advances in Dentistry (JCAD) are entrusted with sensitive information during the manuscript review and publication process. This policy defines the ethical responsibilities of editors concerning confidentiality, impartiality, and responsible decision-making.

Editors must treat all manuscripts as confidential intellectual property until formally published.

Confidential Handling of Manuscripts

  • Editors must not share manuscripts with individuals outside the editorial and peer review process.
  • Reviewer identities and reports must be kept strictly confidential.
  • Manuscript content may not be used for personal research or gain.

Ethical Decision-Making

Editorial decisions should be guided solely by the academic merit, originality, and relevance of the submission, not by personal bias or external influence.

Conflict of Interest Management

Editors must declare potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from decisions where impartiality could be compromised. Examples include:

  • Prior collaboration with authors
  • Employment at the same institution as the author
  • Financial or personal relationships that could bias judgment

Maintaining Peer Review Integrity

Editors must ensure the peer review process remains fair, unbiased, and double-blind. Reviewer identities are not disclosed to authors without explicit permission.

Handling of Sensitive Data

Data, images, or clinical details obtained through peer review must remain confidential. Patient data must always be anonymized, and editors must enforce ethical standards regarding identifiable information.

Responding to Misconduct

Editors are obligated to investigate suspected ethical breaches such as:

  • Plagiarism or duplicate submission
  • Fabrication or falsification of data
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

Such cases should be handled using COPE flowcharts and documented transparently.

Transparency and Accountability

Editors must provide clear reasoning for decisions, supported by reviewer feedback, and maintain accountability in editorial communications.

Post-Publication Confidentiality

Confidentiality obligations extend beyond publication, covering reviewer identities, unpublished data, and any privileged information.

Continuous Ethical Training

Editors should engage in ongoing training and familiarize themselves with evolving standards in editorial confidentiality and publishing ethics.

FAQs

Can editors discuss manuscripts with colleagues?

No, unless the colleague is officially part of the peer review process.

What if an editor suspects misconduct?

They must follow COPE guidelines and report concerns to the Editor-in-Chief.

Are reviewers’ names ever disclosed?

No, reviewer identities remain confidential unless they voluntarily waive anonymity.