Editorial Board Charter

Editorial Board Charter

Editorial Board Charter — Nigerian Dental Journal

Adopted: [Date to be filled]
Review cycle: Every 2 years
Approved by: Nigerian Dental Association Executive Council

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:

  • Editor-in-Chief (1)
  • Immediate Past Editor-in-Chief (1)
  • Associate Editors — one or more per major dental discipline (Restorative Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontology, Paediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, Dental Public Health, Family Dentistry)
  • Statistical Editor (1)
  • Language Editor (1)
  • Managing Editor (1)
  • National and International Editorial Board Members — senior scholars from Nigeria and abroad

The Board shall reflect geographic, institutional, and disciplinary diversity. No single institution shall hold more than 25% of board positions.

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, collaborators, or their institution.
  • 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 and Ambassadorship

  • Promote the Journal at conferences, institutional meetings, and on professional networks.
  • Encourage their institution's library to subscribe or link to the Journal.
  • Share Journal announcements with their 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 and 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 editorial independence from the publisher, the NDA, and any commercial interest.
  • Report annually to the NDA Executive Council on Journal performance.
  • Ensure 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.
  • 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.

8. Editorial Independence

The Editorial Board operates 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 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. The report shall:

  • Note active members
  • Note members who have fallen below expectations
  • Recommend renewals or replacements
  • Be shared with the NDA Executive Council

Publicly, the Journal shall publish:

  • An annual Reviewer Acknowledgment page
  • An annual Editorial Board Activity Summary (aggregate, anonymized where appropriate)
  • A list of editorials and special issues published during the year

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:

  • Publication of names on the annual Reviewer Acknowledgment page
  • Free access to Journal content
  • A 10 % APC discount for articles where a Board member is an author (subject to peer review)
  • Letters of appreciation for academic promotion files, on request
  • Priority invitation to guest-edit special issues

12. Board Meetings

  • Annual virtual meeting: 30–45 minutes, chaired by the Editor-in-Chief, held in the first quarter of each year.
  • Ad hoc consultations: By email, as needed.
  • Quorum: Not required for virtual meetings, but decisions are 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. Amendments are published 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.

Signed:

Prof. S. Olusegun Nwhator
Editor-in-Chief, Nigerian Dental Journal
Date: 18/09/2026

Approved:

Dr. Elias Emedom President
Nigerian Dental Association
Date: 18/09/2026