Editorial Board Charter — Nigerian Dental Journal
Defining the institutional governance, composition, roles, measurable responsibilities, peer-review duties, editorial independence, and ethics standards for the Editorial Board of the Nigerian Dental Journal (NDJ).
1 Purpose
This Charter defines the composition, roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the Editorial Board of the Nigerian Dental Journal (NDJ). It exists to ensure that the Journal maintains high scholarly standards, editorial independence, and continuous improvement in line with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
2 Role of the Editorial Board
The Editorial Board is the governing body of the Journal's scholarly content. Its members serve as ambassadors, advisors, and active participants in the Journal's editorial work. The Board is not an honorary body. Membership carries specific, measurable responsibilities.
3 Composition
The Editorial Board shall consist of:
Associate Editors: One or more per major clinical dental discipline (Restorative Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontology, Paediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, Dental Public Health, Family Dentistry).
4 Term of Service
- Editor-in-Chief: 4 years, renewable once.
- Immediate Past Editor-in-Chief: Ex-officio for the duration of the succeeding editor's term.
- Associate Editors: 3 years, renewable once.
- Statistical Editor: 3 years, renewable.
- Language Editor: 3 years, renewable.
- Managing Editor: 3 years, renewable.
Appointments are staggered to preserve continuity and institutional memory.
5 Specific Responsibilities of Board Members
Each Editorial Board member is expected to fulfil the following responsibilities during their term:
5.1 Peer Review
- Review at least 3 manuscripts per year in their area of expertise.
- Respond to review invitations within 5 working days.
- Submit completed reviews within 21 days.
- Maintain confidentiality at all times.
5.2 Submission Solicitation
- Solicit at least 2 high-quality submissions per year from colleagues or collaborators.
- Encourage authorship from under-represented regions or disciplines.
5.3 Scholarly Contribution
- Author or co-author at least 1 editorial, commentary, or review during the 3-year term.
- Suggest topics for special issues and thematic sections.
5.4 Promotion & Ambassadorship
- Promote the Journal at conferences, institutional meetings, and on professional networks.
- Encourage institutional libraries to link to the Journal.
- Share Journal announcements with networks.
5.5 Strategic Participation
- Attend at least 1 virtual Board meeting per year (30–45 minutes).
- Respond to strategic consultations by email within 10 working days.
- Advise on emerging trends, indexing opportunities, and quality improvement.
5.6 Special Issue & Guest Editing
- Board members may be invited to guest-edit a special issue.
- Guest editors must follow the Journal's guest-editing policy, including independent peer review for all submitted manuscripts.
6 Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief
- Provide overall editorial leadership and maintain the Journal's mission and scope.
- Chair Editorial Board meetings.
- Make final decisions on all manuscripts after review.
- Maintain strict editorial independence from the publisher, the NDA, and any commercial interest.
- Report annually to the NDA Executive Council on Journal performance.
- Ensure full compliance with COPE, ICMJE, and DOAJ requirements.
- Prepare an annual Editorial Board Activity Report.
7 Responsibilities of the Managing Editor
- Manage day-to-day editorial operations, including submission tracking and initial checks.
- Maintain communication with authors, reviewers, and Board members.
- Coordinate review timelines and manuscript workflow.
- Maintain the Editorial Board activity log.
- Support the Editor-in-Chief in reporting and governance documentation.
8 Editorial Independence
The Editorial Board operates completely independently of the Nigerian Dental Association and the Journal's publisher in all matters related to manuscript evaluation and editorial decisions. Neither the NDA nor any external body may influence decisions on individual manuscripts. Conflicts of interest must be declared and managed strictly according to COPE guidelines.
9 Activity Tracking and Reporting
The Managing Editor shall maintain a confidential Editorial Board Activity Log, recording for each Board member:
- Number of reviews completed per year
- Number of submissions solicited
- Editorials or commentaries authored
- Attendance at Board meetings
- Special issue participation
Annually, the Editor-in-Chief shall prepare a summary report for the Board to note active members, note members below expectations, recommend renewals/replacements, and share with the NDA Executive Council.
10 Renewal and Replacement
- Board members who fail to meet the minimum responsibilities in Section 5 for two consecutive years may not be renewed.
- Members may resign at any time by written notice to the Editor-in-Chief.
- Vacancies shall be filled within 3 months through an open or invited nomination process, approved by the Editor-in-Chief and reported to the NDA Executive Council.
11 Recognition and Incentives
The Journal shall recognize active Board members through:
12 Board Meetings
- Annual virtual meeting: 30–45 minutes, chaired by the Editor-in-Chief, held in the first quarter of each calendar year.
- Ad hoc consultations: Conducted by email as needed for policy reviews or urgent ethical matters.
- Quorum: Not required for virtual consultation meetings, but all decisions are formally documented and circulated.
13 Amendment
This Charter may be amended by the Editor-in-Chief with the approval of the NDA Executive Council and after consultation with the Editorial Board. All approved amendments are published promptly on the Journal website.
14 Acknowledgment
By accepting appointment to the Editorial Board of the Nigerian Dental Journal, each member acknowledges that they have read this Charter and agree to its responsibilities.