Happy Peer Review Week to the people who put the “peer review” in “Peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry.” Peer reviewers and the peer review process are vital to the integrity of General Dentistry and to the scientific community. Check out this Editorial from Dr. Timothy Kosinski on the review and publication process and our list of 2017 peer reviewers. If you’d like to join the ranks of our peer reviewers, send us a message and let us know!

A creative team

Surveys commissioned by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) tell us that members value our publications, AGD Impact and General Dentistry. Nevertheless, members may be unaware of the efforts that go into the production of every issue. We have a great editorial team, directed by Dr Roger D. Winland, that works diligently to create dynamic publications that are useful to our members. The staff makes an effort to deliver contemporary, relevant stories in AGD Impact and present new, exciting scientific topics in General Dentistry. 

These publications are intended to be distinct sources of information. AGD Impact is a trusted resource for the latest dental news, continuing education offerings, practice management tips, profiles of AGD members, and information on AGD programs and governance. 

General Dentistry is a peer-reviewed clinical journal. The peer-review process involves review of each manuscript by many individuals. In 2017, 221 manuscripts were submitted to the journal. Each manuscript is reviewed to ensure that the materials are complete and the topic is suitable. The manuscript is anon-ymized for the triple-blind peer-review process, in which the authors, peer reviewers, and editors are unaware of each other’s identities. 

For each manuscript, a general dentist and a specialist are sought as reviewers. Reviewers evaluate the relevance, usefulness, and accuracy, and provide constructive suggestions for improvement. The current issue presents our annual list of peer reviewers. We are grateful for our peer reviewers, who are vital to the existence and integrity of our journal. 

When both peer reviews are completed, Dr Winland or I carefully consider the manuscript, reviews, and recommendations before accepting, rejecting, or provisionally accepting the submission. Manuscripts that receive provisional acceptance have potential but require revision or clarification. The time from submission of an article to a decision is usually a mere 6 weeks. 

The needs of the journal also play a role in our decisions. Unfortunately, sometimes good manuscripts do not fit the current needs. Acceptances reflect the preferences of our readers and the relevance of the topic. The science and practice of dentistry change rapidly. Some topics are more common than others, and the published content is often a good representation of the many submissions we receive. 

Accepted manuscripts are scheduled based on their subject, timeliness, and other factors. Each issue—edited and designed in less than 2 months—includes 20-25 articles and columns. This is an amazing, efficient process that provides readers with important and topical scientific information. All that work pays off: Last year, General Dentistry won 2 EXCEL Awards from Association Media & Publishing—Journal: Redesign and Journal: Feature Article (Seidman et al, “What every dentist should know about coffee,” July/August 2016). 

Now that you know how complex the process is, I hope you will have a greater appreciation for the work of the staff and Dr Winland. We should be proud of both publications and pass them along to our team members and to colleagues who are not AGD members. 

General Dentistry and AGD Impact demonstrate AGD’s spirit of continuing education and advocacy. They represent AGD’s mission, goals, and achievements as an organization. They also should represent your goals and ideals as an individual member. Drop the editorial team a note with feedback, questions, or ideas. Your input is always appreciated.

View the full PDF of this article and check out the 2017 peer reviewers who made your issues of General Dentistry possible.