Editors of the Journal of Clinical Advances in Dentistry (JCAD) hold a position of trust and influence in scholarly publishing. This section outlines the ethical principles editors must follow to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in their decision-making processes.

Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions must be made independently of publishers, sponsors, or advertisers. The primary criterion should always be the quality, originality, and relevance of the research.

Fair and Unbiased Decision-Making

• Evaluate manuscripts solely on scholarly merit
• Avoid discrimination based on gender, race, geography, or institutional affiliation
• Ensure transparency and accountability in rejection or acceptance decisions

Confidentiality

Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents. Editors should not share content with unauthorized individuals or use unpublished data for personal benefit.

Conflict of Interest

Editors must disclose and recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist, including:

• Financial ties to authors or funders
• Personal or professional relationships
• Competing research interests

Misconduct Handling

Editors must act decisively when faced with potential misconduct, following COPE flowcharts for cases involving plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or ethical violations.

Transparency in Peer Review

Editors are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the double-blind peer review process, ensuring confidentiality of reviewer identities and unbiased evaluations.

Communication Standards

• Respond promptly to author queries
• Provide clear, constructive editorial feedback
• Respect authors’ and reviewers’ time and contributions

Post-Publication Ethics

Editors must ensure corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern are issued when necessary. Safeguarding the integrity of the scholarly record is an ongoing responsibility.

Continuous Professional Development

Editors should stay informed about evolving best practices by engaging with resources from COPE, ICMJE, and WAME, and by participating in editorial ethics training.

FAQs

What if an editor has collaborated with an author?

The editor must recuse themselves and assign the manuscript to another editor.

Can editors publish in their own journal?

Yes, but their submissions must be handled independently to avoid bias.

How should editors handle complaints?

Complaints must be investigated transparently, with COPE guidelines as reference.