The Journal of Dental School is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in scientific research and publication. Any form of scientific misconduct will not be tolerated, and we will take all necessary measures to ensure the integrity of the scholarly record. Misconduct includes but is not limited to plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, redundant publication, and unethical research practices.
Definition of Scientific Misconduct:
Scientific misconduct includes the following behaviors:
Plagiarism: The use of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.
Data Fabrication: Making up data or results and recording or reporting them as if they were real.
Data Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results, in such a way that the research is not accurately represented.
Redundant Publication: Publishing the same work or substantially similar material more than once without proper justification or reference to the original work.
Unethical Research Practices: Failure to comply with ethical standards in the treatment of human and animal subjects, lack of informed consent, or failure to obtain necessary ethical approvals.
If there is an allegation of plagiarism, scientific misconduct, or fraud, JDS will undertake a thorough investigation following the COPE and ICMJE recommendations. If misconduct is confirmed, the following actions will be taken:
Author Blacklisting: The offending author(s) will be placed on a blacklist, and no submissions from the author(s) will be considered for publication in JDS for a minimum of two years.
Notification to Institution: JDS reserves the right to report the allegations and findings of misconduct to the author’s affiliated institution, funding bodies, or any other relevant authorities.
Retraction: If the published article is found to be affected by scientific misconduct, it will be retracted following COPE guidelines. A clear retraction notice will be issued, and the article will be marked as “retracted” in both print and online versions.
Transparency: In cases where misconduct is detected after publication, JDS will issue a public notice explaining the nature of the misconduct and corrective actions taken.
JDS is committed to maintaining the integrity of the academic record and ensuring that all publications adhere to the highest ethical standards. Authors, reviewers, and editors are encouraged to uphold these principles and report any suspected misconduct to the editorial team.
Investigation and Response to Misconduct:
If any suspicion of scientific misconduct arises, the Journal of Dental School follows a clear and transparent process, in line with the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This process includes:
Initial Assessment: Upon receiving an allegation or identifying potential misconduct, the editorial board will perform an initial review of the case to determine its validity.
Formal Investigation: If the concern is deemed valid, the editorial team will conduct a thorough investigation, which may include consulting external experts or the relevant research institution.
Decision and Action: Based on the findings of the investigation, appropriate actions will be taken, which may include:
Request for Explanation: Authors will be asked to provide clarification or corrections if minor errors are identified.
Retraction: If the article contains severe ethical violations or scientific misconduct that undermines the reliability of the findings, it will be retracted.
Corrections: If errors are found that do not fundamentally affect the conclusions, an erratum or corrigendum will be issued.
Institutional Notification: In cases of significant misconduct, the institution of the author(s) will be notified for further action.
Retraction Procedure:
In cases where retraction is deemed necessary, the following steps will be taken:
Publication of Retraction: A retraction notice will be published online and linked to the original article. This notice will clearly explain the reason for retraction and will remain part of the scholarly record.
Labeling the Article: The original article will remain accessible but will be clearly marked as "retracted" in all versions, including online databases.
Right to Respond: The authors involved will be given the opportunity to respond to allegations of misconduct before a final decision is made.
Disagreement: If the authors disagree with the decision, this will be documented, but the retraction will proceed if justified by the findings of the investigation.
Preventive Measures:
The Journal of Dental School encourages all authors to carefully check their manuscripts for potential issues before submission. We strongly recommend the use of plagiarism detection software and compliance with ethical standards throughout the research process.