IFDEA only considers manuscripts submitted electronically and in English. Authors are urged to follow the “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals.” These requirements, developed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and now in their fifth edition (1997), can be found in the New England Journal of Medicine 1997;336:309-15 and on that journal’s website.
The following summarizes these requirements as well as specific IFDEA procedures. Note that these requirements pertain specifically to the initial submission of manuscripts or other content.
Document Preparation. Create the document on pages with margins of at least 1 inch (25 mm). Use double-spacing throughout, including title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments, references, tables, and legends for illustrations, and number pages consecutively. Begin each of the following sections on separate pages: title page, abstract and key words, text, acknowledgments, references, individual tables, and legends. Do not embed tables and figures in the body of the text. If figures or other illustrations are unusually large files, submit them as separate documents.
Title Page. The title page should carry: 1) the title of the article or content, which should be concise but informative; 2) first name, middle initial, and last name of each author, with highest academic degrees; 3) each author or coauthor’s job title, department, and institution; 4) disclaimers if any; 5) name, address, phone, fax, and email of author responsible for correspondence; and 6) the source(s) in the form of grants, equipment, drugs, etc.
Abstract and Key Words. The second page should carry the title and an abstract of no more than 150-200 words. The abstract should state the purposes of the study or investigation, basic procedures, main findings, and principal conclusions. Subheads should not be used in the abstract. Below the abstract, provide—and identify as such—three to ten key words or short phrases that will assist indexers in cross-indexing the article and that may be published with the abstract. Use terms from the Medical Subject Headings listed in Index Medicus.
Text. The body of the manuscript should be divided into sections preceded by appropriate subheads. Major subheads should be typed in capital letters at the left-hand margin. Secondary subheads should appear at the left-hand margin and be typed in upper and lower case and put in bold face. Tertiary subheads should be typed in upper and lower case and be underlined.
References. Number references consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text. Identify references by Arabic numerals, and place them as superscript numerals within the sentence. Do not link the references to their numbers as footnotes or endnotes. References cited only in tables or legends to figures should appear as a source note to the table or figure.
Follow the style of these general examples, which are based on the formats used in Index Medicus. Titles of journals should be abbreviated according to the Index Medicus style. If there are more than six authors, list the first six and use et al.
Book
1. Avery JK. Essentials of oral histology and embryology: a clinical approach. 2nd ed. St. Louis: Mosby, 2000. Chapter in an Edited Volume
2. Inglehart MR, Filstrup SL, Wandera A. Oral health and quality of life in children. In: Inglehart MR, Bragramian RA, eds. Oral health-related quality of life. Chicago: Quintessence Publishing Co., 2002:79-88.
Article in a Journal
3. Seale NS, Casamassimo PS. U.S. predoctoral education in pediatric dentistry: its impact on access to dental care. J Dent Educ 2003;67(1):23-9.
Report
4. Commission on Dental Education. Accreditation standards for dental education programs. Chicago: American Dental Association, 2002.
Tables. All tables must have a title and at least two columns. Arrange column headings so that their relation to the data is clear. Indicate explanatory notes to items in the table with reference marks (*, †). Cite each table in the text in the order in which it is to appear. Identify tables with Arabic numerals (e.g., Table 1).
Illustrations. Illustrations should not exceed 8 ½ x 11 inches, and all lettering should be at least 1 ½ mm high. Cite each figure in the text in the order in which it is to appear (e.g., Figure 1). Figures should not be used where tables are more economical. If your figures include scientific images in which fine detail is important, please call attention to this point so that special procedures may be followed. If accepted for publication and/or dissemination, we may request illustrations in hard copy rather than electronic format. If you are asked to do so, submit two clear, unmounted glossy photographs or original line drawings of each figure (do not submit negatives), and place the name of the author and the figure number on the back of each illustration.
Human Subjects. It is the author’s responsibility to obtain approval or exempt status from his or her institution’s Human Subjects Institutional Review Board or Committee for studies involving human subjects. After securing approval from the required board or committee, the author will have a signed human consent form on every subject in the study. Failure to meet these two requirements is likely to place the manuscript or content under consideration in jeopardy and lead to a rejection.
Manuscript Submission and Production Procedures
Manuscripts or other forms of content should be submitted electronically to the Editor, www.IFDEA.org. There is no charge for submission. The Editor’s office will acknowledge receipt of the submission by email.
Review Process. Manuscripts and other content will be peer-reviewed by individuals, selected by the Editor, who have expertise and experience pertinent to the topic of the submission. For certain submissions, IFDEA employs a blind peer review process. The Editor reviews all submissions. The review process can take up to three months. If a submission is not accepted, the author will receive the reviewers’ comments, but copies will not be returned. It is possible that the material reviewed will be recommended for submission to or publication in an alternate venue, such as the Journal of Dental Education, MedEdPORTAL, or other such entity.
Preparing the Final Manuscript or Other Content. If the manuscript is accepted or provisionally accepted, an edited version will be returned to the author with the reviewers’ comments for the author’s approval, possible rewriting, and retyping. At that time, the Editor may also provide the author with the production guidelines, which outlines the style and formatting requirements. After the author has made the requested changes, it is returned for final review and editing to the Editor.
Copyright Transfer. Also on acceptance or provisional acceptance of the manuscript or other content for publication, the Editor will provide the author with a copyright transfer form. This form specifies that the work is original and that the author holds all rights in the article and is transferring them to IFDEA for paper and online publication. If coauthored, all authors must sign the copyright transfer form.
Proof Review. Authors may receive proofs of their submission, along with instructions for marking and returning it to the Editor.
Key Contact Information
Dr. Anders Nattestad
anattestad@ifdea.org
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