New journal addresses gaps in MI evidence
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The Journal of Minimum Intervention in Dentistry (JMID) is an international online journal that aims to promote the electronic publication and indexing of clinical case reports in the field of Minimum Intervention (MI) in dentistry. JMID publishes articles in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese on the MI topics of oral disease risk assessment, early diagnosis and minimally-invasive treatment.
The journal encourages manuscript submissions by first-time authors, aspiring young academics as well as the submission of to-date unpublished clinical observations, especially by general dental practitioners. Peer-review is conducted to the extent of strict adherence by authors to the following criteria: the study being a clinical case report related to MI; adherence to stated reporting guidelines; acceptable scientific grammar and syntax; proof of ethical clearance.
Dental Learning Hub spoke to JMID publishing director, Dr Steffen Mickenautsch, South Africa, about the journal and its goals.
Question: Briefly explain how the concept for the JMID came about.
SM: Our journal was created with specific focus on Minimum Intervention (MI) in Dentistry in order to address two issues: ‘Publication bias’ and ‘Grey literature’. The first is related to the fact that mostly reports of positive and unique clinical observations are submitted for publication in established dental journals. However, negative reports, e.g. where no clinical effect could be observed; and observations, which only confirm past clinical results, are seldom published.
That means that a substantial amount of clinical observations and facts remain obscure, thus forming part of the so-called ‘grey literature’ (being literature, which is not published in journals nor listed in the main electronic databases and thus are not easily accessible). For this reason any systematic review of the existing MI literature captures mostly content and results of published articles and remains to a large extend ignorant to unpublished content - thus includes a 'publication bias'. Our primary aim is to publish and index clinical reports no matter its clinical outcome, uniqueness or confirmatory nature, thus, hopefully reducing such bias - at least in the field of MI - in time.
Question: What are the main benefits of the journal for readers?
SM: The main benefit for readers is to have free access to full version of articles with direct and exclusive focus on MI. A further benefit will be to be able to access reports which otherwise would have remained obscure to many readers.
Question: Briefly explain your approach of encouraging unpublished young researchers and dentists in general practice to contribute papers to the journal.
SM: Since our goal is to capture and index every form of clinical observations in MI, we have lowered the barrier for authors to publish their reports. This also makes it easier for unpublished young researchers and dentists in general practice to contribute papers. Our key criteria for submissions are that observations are to be reported in line with specific reporting guidelines; are obtained based on ethical clearance or in line with commonly acceptable ethical principle; being written in an acceptable scientific language format, and being directly relevant to MI, of course.
Question: As editors, what do Professors Leal, Tyas and Ngo collectively bring to the journal?
SM: Our valued editors are experts in the fields of MI, evidence-based dentistry, as well as in bioethics and are in charge to judge submitted articles in line with our key criteria before accepting them for publication in a particular issue.
Question: The journal also has Spanish and Mandarin editions – what were the reasons for establishing these and how will this contribute to the overall goals of the journal?
SM: Our journal wishes to reach out to the vast dental communities in the Chinese and Latin American regions to provide access to MI information from all over the world and also to encourage Chinese- and Spanish-speaking authors to share their clinical observations and experiences in the field of MI.
Question: What are your main goals for the JMID for the next five years?
SM: We aim to establish our journal as a wide and well-known forum for MI and to build a valuable electronic database for clinical observations and reports in this field.
Dr Steffen Mickenautsch graduated as dentist at the school of dentistry, University of Leipzig, Germany in November 1994. He obtained a Certificate in Evidence based dentistry (EBD) from the Centre for Evidence Based Dentistry, University of Oxford and has a PhD awarded by the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Besides being JMID’s publishing director, he is also currently visiting research advisor at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg , South Africa, as well as programme manager of Midentistry’s evidence-base development programme in the field of Minimum Intervention (MI) in dentistry.
Full articles are freely accessible online without any need for subscription or registration.
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The Journal of Minimum Intervention in Dentistry (JMID) is an international online journal that aims to promote the electronic publication and indexing of clinical case reports in the field of Minimum Intervention (MI) in dentistry. JMID publishes articles in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese on the MI topics of oral disease risk assessment, early diagnosis and minimally-invasive treatment.
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