Publication Ethics & Publication Malpractice Policy

Journal of Dental and Allied Health Research (JDAHR)

The Journal of Dental and Allied Health Research (JDAHR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, and transparency. This policy aligns with COPE, WAME, ICMJE, and HEC Pakistan guidelines.

 

 

1. Scientific Misconduct

JDAHR strictly prohibits all forms of scientific misconduct, including:

  • Data falsification or fabrication

  • Plagiarism of text, ideas, or data

  • Improper authorship attribution

  • Misappropriation of research ideas or findings

  • Violation of accepted research practices

  • Non-compliance with regulatory standards

  • Inappropriate handling of misconduct allegations

1.1 Reporting Allegations

  • Allegations can be submitted by authors, reviewers, readers, or other parties.

  • Anonymous reports are accepted, though transparent communication is encouraged.

  • The Complaints Process Committee performs an initial review to assess credibility, validity, and seriousness.

1.2 Investigation Process

  • Preliminary Assessment: Editor-in-Chief and Complaints Process Committee evaluate evidence and severity.

  • Engagement with Authors: Corresponding authors are contacted for clarification or rebuttal.

  • Third-Party Review: External experts may be consulted as necessary.

1.3 Consequences of Misconduct

Depending on severity:

  • Corrections (Errata/Corrigenda): Minor errors not affecting conclusions.

  • Retractions: Proven plagiarism, data fabrication, unethical research, or major errors. Retractions remain accessible but labeled clearly.

  • Expressions of Concern: Published when investigations are ongoing.

  • Withdrawals: Allowed before publication if ethical or technical issues arise.

All notices are freely accessible and linked permanently to the original article.

1.4 Ethical Handling of Investigations

  • Investigations are confidential, fair, and transparent.

  • Collaboration with regulatory agencies, academic institutions, or publishers may occur as needed.

1.5 Appeals

  • Authors may appeal based on substantial new evidence or justified rationale.

  • The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief after thorough reassessment.

1.6 Plagiarism and Similarity Check

  • Manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software.

  • Similarity index >17% is considered unacceptable (HEC/PMDC standards).

  • Self-plagiarism, “salami slicing,” and unattributed copying are treated as misconduct.

 

 

2. Authorship & Contributorship

Authorship Criteria

JDAHR follows ICMJE and COPE guidelines. Authorship is granted only to those who meet all four criteria:

  1. Substantial contribution to study conception, design, or data acquisition/analysis.

  2. Drafting or critically revising the manuscript.

  3. Final approval of the published version.

  4. Accountability for all aspects of the work.

Non-Author Contributors

  • Individuals not meeting all criteria must be acknowledged with permission.

Authorship Disputes

  • Resolved at the institutional level; the journal does not adjudicate disputes.

Changes in Authorship

  • Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors require:

    • Initiation by corresponding author

    • Signed consent from all affected authors

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

  • Manage all communication during submission, peer review, and publication

  • Ensure ethical approvals, trial registration, and disclosures are complete

  • Confirm all authors meet eligibility and approve the manuscript

Author Limit

  • Maximum 6 authors per manuscript; exceptions require approval by Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editors.

 

 

3. Complaints & Appeals Policy

3.1 Submitting Complaints & Appeals

  • Email: managingeditor@jdahrjournal.com

  • Complaints: Misconduct, ethical breaches, editorial concerns, peer review quality

  • Appeals: Rejection decisions based on errors, bias, or procedural issues

3.2 Screening

  • Complaints → Complaints Process Committee

  • Appeals → Editor-in-Chief

3.3 Investigation Process

  • Reviewed per COPE, WAME, CSE, and HEC Pakistan guidelines

  • Findings and recommendations reported to Editorial Board for final decision

3.4 Appeal Review Process

  • Evaluated independently by Editor-in-Chief

  • Includes reassessment of all records, reviewer reports, and additional expert review if needed

  • Possible outcomes: Decision Upheld, Revised, or Reversed

  • All decisions documented for transparency

3.5 Complaints Committee

  • Prof. Dr. Samreena Mohammad

  • Prof. Dr. Muslim Khan

3.6 Consequences of Misconduct

  • Corrections or retractions

  • Formal warnings

  • Submission bans

  • Notification of institutions

  • Withdrawal of reviewer/editor privileges

 

 

4. Conflicts of Interest / Competing Interests

Author Responsibilities

  • Disclose financial, personal, or professional relationships that may bias the research

  • Must be included in a Conflict of Interest section or explicitly stated as “None to declare”

Reviewer & Editor Responsibilities

  • Declare conflicts and recuse themselves from handling affected manuscripts

 

 

5. Data Sharing & Reproducibility

  • Authors encouraged to deposit underlying research data in recognized public repositories

  • Provide repository name and permanent link under a “Data Sharing” section

  • Sensitive data may be restricted; authors must explain access procedure

Benefits: Verification, reproducibility, secondary analysis, scientific transparency

 

 

6. Ethical Oversight

6.1 Ethical Approval

  • Mandatory for human/animal studies

  • Documents must be on institutional letterhead, signed, and dated

  • Case reports require patient consent and departmental approval

6.2 Human & Animal Research

  • Adhere to Declaration of Helsinki (2008, revised) for humans

  • Follow IAVE and 3Rs principles for animal research

6.3 Informed Consent

  • Required for all participants, minors, deceased individuals, or case reports

  • Consent documentation may be requested by editors

 

 

7. Intellectual Property (Copyright & Licensing)

  • Open-access under CC BY-NC 4.0 license

  • Authors retain copyright; JDAHR has non-exclusive license to publish

  • Content may be reused for scholarly purposes, with attribution and non-commercial use

License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

 

 

8. Editorial Independence

  • Editorial decisions are independent of the institution or sponsor

  • Editors guided solely by academic merit and ethics

  • Journal does not accept advertisements or engage in direct marketing

 

 

9. Confidentiality Policy

  • Applies to all participants in the publication process

  • Reviewer reports, author communications, and editorial deliberations are confidential

  • Authors must not share reviewer comments publicly

 

 

10. Post-Publication Discussions & Corrections

  • Readers may submit comments or responses within 6 months of publication

  • Valid discussions are published alongside original articles

  • Corrections or addenda are timestamped, traceable, and publicly accessible