Why should you publish in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry?

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For authors asking themselves, “Why should I publish in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry?” the following is offered. The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry was established in 1951 and was the first journal dedicated to restorative and prosthetic dentistry. For the past 50 years, the Journal has provided a means for the interchange of ideas among professionals to advance the skill and knowledge of prosthodontics. The Journal has the largest subscription base of any journal dedicated to prosthodontics and maintains the highest readership among prosthodontists. It is distributed worldwide to 88 countries (including the United States and Canada). The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry is listed in Index Medicus, Current Contents, Clinical Medicine, PubMed, and MEDLINE and has a high ranking for citation frequency and impact factor. According to the 1999 Science Citation Index, of 5550 scientific journals analyzed, the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry ranked in the top 12.6%. In 1999, the British publication “Evidence-Based Information in Dentistry” ranked the Journal third in the “Publication of All Evidence-Based Information” category and sixth in the “Publication of Randomized Controlled Studies” category. Given the number of journals being published, these are significant accomplishments.

It has been said that knowledge is power. This statement has never been more true than today. With research at its most rapid and sophisticated level, the information explosion allows new findings to be reported yearly, monthly, and even daily. The Journal offers this “power” in a form that meets the needs of its subscribers, be it a hard copy or through the Internet. The Journal receives between 375 and 400 manuscripts each year. Each monthly issue is 120 to 128 pages in length and comprises approximately 25 articles, which include clinical reports, clinically related and basic research studies, technical procedures, literature reviews, articles on education and other professional subjects, and tips from readers on helpful or time-saving clinical and laboratory procedures. Each issue of the Journal also includes Noteworthy Abstracts of the current literature published in other journals and a News and Notes section that keeps readers informed about the meetings and activities of each of the Journal's sponsoring organizations. A New Products section is published semiannually (in the January and July issues); it provides readers with the latest information on materials and state-of-the art technologies. Each July issue also features the “Annual review of selected dental literature: Report of the Committee on Scientific Investigation of the Academy of Restorative Dentistry.”

During the past 50 years, the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry has published some of the best peer-reviewed applied and basic research and clinical/technical articles. Manuscripts are prioritized for reader interest, clinical significance, scientific and technical validity, and affiliation with our sponsoring organizations. Whenever possible, evidence-based literature is emphasized. The Journal publishes most manuscripts within 1 year of submission, ensuring that cutting-edge information is brought to the readership in a timely manner. This short publication time is attributable in part to the quality of the review process and to advancements in electronic transfer and formatting.

An Editorial Review Board consisting of authorities in the disciplines of restorative and prosthetic dentistry guides the review process. The Editor's office of the Journal developed a Scientific Writing Training Program as a means of providing a standardized procedure for consultants and reviewers to follow in the publication review process. During the training program, participants are instructed in the key elements of reviewing manuscripts and the issues that are vital to a successful review. Instruction in electronic transfer of the files and acting as an advocate for the author are emphasized.

In fall 2000, the Editor introduced an electronic transfer system for manuscripts in the review process, and its utilization has resulted in an expeditious method of managing manuscript review. On the receipt of a manuscript in the Editor's office, it is assigned to 2 reviewers; the copy, illustrations, and any tables/graphs related to the material are electronically distributed to the reviewers. Each reviewer is asked to complete the review of the manuscript within 3 weeks and return his/her report electronically to the Editor's office with recommendations and, if appropriate, suggested editing. The Editor reviews the report and communicates with the author about the disposition of the manuscript. If changes are necessary, the author is encouraged to complete the revision as soon as possible so that the publication process can continue. In 2000, the review process resulted in 242 articles being published, accounting for 1344 pages of peer-reviewed scientific, clinical, and technical information.

The Journal has been available online since March 2000 at the Web site http://www.mosby.com/prosdent. Abstracts and full text articles from 1996 are available online for search purposes. Access to abstracts is complementary, and access to full text articles is free with a hard copy subscription. Abstracts are currently available in Portuguese and simplified and traditional Chinese. Negotiations are currently underway to provide abstracts in Spanish, French, and Korean. The Web site also contains the Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms and the Evidence-base Dentistry series of articles. One important advantage of the online site is the posting of the monthly issue on PubMed on the day the hard copy is mailed to subscribers around the world.

In summary, The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry offers an author the opportunity to publish in a journal with 50 years experience, minimal delay in publication, a quality peer-review process, a broad-based international readership, and an online service with multiple language exposure of the author's contribution to the dental community. A comparison of The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry with other prosthodontic journals in terms of publication frequency, subscription price, number of text pages, and distribution demonstrates the competitive excellence of the Journal. Thus, an author's first choice when publishing a manuscript should be The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry.