Editorial Responsibilities

Editors play a central role in maintaining the quality, integrity, and credibility of the Global Journal of Dental Specialty (GJDS). Editors are responsible for managing manuscripts fairly, objectively, and confidentially throughout the editorial process. All editorial activities are conducted in accordance with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing.

Editors are expected to:

• Assess the scientific quality and relevance of submitted manuscripts.

• Ensure compliance with the journal's editorial and ethical policies.

• Select qualified and independent peer reviewers.

• Make objective editorial decisions based on reviewers' recommendations.

• Maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts.

Managing the Peer Review Process

Editors are responsible for ensuring that each manuscript undergoes a fair, timely, and unbiased double-blind peer-review process. Reviewer selection should be based on expertise, experience, and the absence of conflicts of interest.

Editors should:

• Invite appropriate reviewers with relevant expertise.

• Monitor reviewer performance and review timelines.

• Evaluate reviewer comments objectively.

• Request additional reviews where necessary.

• Ensure that all peer-review communications remain confidential.

Editorial Decision-Making

Editorial decisions must be based solely on the scientific merit, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, and relevance of the manuscript to the journal's scope. Personal, institutional, financial, or commercial interests must not influence editorial judgments.

Editors may recommend:

• Acceptance.

• Minor Revision.

• Major Revision.

• Rejection.

The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority regarding all publication decisions.

Publication Ethics

Editors are responsible for safeguarding research integrity and identifying potential ethical concerns throughout the editorial process. Any allegation of plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, image manipulation, authorship disputes, or unethical research practices should be handled in accordance with COPE and ICMJE guidance.

Editors should:

• Verify plagiarism screening results.

• Review ethical approval and informed consent statements.

• Manage conflicts of interest appropriately.

• Follow COPE Flowcharts when investigating ethical concerns.

Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest

Editors must maintain strict confidentiality regarding manuscripts, reviewer identities, editorial discussions, and unpublished data. Editors should disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest and withdraw from handling a manuscript where impartiality could be compromised.

Editors must:

• Protect confidential information.

• Avoid personal or professional bias.

• Recuse themselves when conflicts of interest exist.

• Ensure impartial editorial handling of every submission.

Production and Publication

Following acceptance, editors oversee the final stages of publication to ensure that manuscripts meet the journal's quality standards before publication.

This includes:

• Copyediting and language review.

• Proofreading and formatting.

• Reference verification.

• Metadata validation.

• DOI assignment.

• Final editorial approval.

Professional Conduct

Editors should perform their duties with integrity, professionalism, transparency, and respect for authors, reviewers, and readers. They are encouraged to remain informed about developments in publication ethics and editorial best practices to ensure continuous improvement in the journal's editorial standards.

Through responsible editorial leadership, the Global Journal of Dental Specialty (GJDS) is committed to publishing high-quality, ethical, and impactful research that advances dental science, clinical practice, and oral healthcare worldwide.