Guidelines

Guidelines

Guidelines for Authors—Special Feature

The editors of Contemporary Dental Assisting welcome original, unpublished feature articles on clinical and nonclinical topics of relevance to dental assistants.

Manuscript Format. Articles should be submitted in Microsoft Word format and should not exceed 1,500 words, plus figures and tables (6 maximum). Note: References should only be included in columns or departments when conclusive clinical information is provided and references are deemed necessary. A color head shot and author bio (not to exceed one paragraph), containing credentials and contact information (city, state, phone, fax, e-mail) should be included.

Editing Process. The journal's staff will edit manuscripts to enhance their communication value to readers. However, the writing is the author's responsibility, along with incorporating editorial suggestions, answering queries, and approving changes.

References. References must appear in the text as typed, numbered superscripts and should be listed at the end of the manuscript in their order of appearance. Complete bibliographic information must be provided for all materials cited. Journal references must include author, journal (use National Library of Medicine abbreviations), volume and issue numbers, inclusive page numbers, and date of publication. Please follow these AMA Manual of Style examples:

Journal:

1. McConaughy FL, Lukken KM, Toevs SE. Health promotion behaviors of private practice dental hygienists. J Dent Hyg. 1991;65:222-230.

Book:

1. DeBiase CB. Dental Health Education . 9th ed. Philadelphia , Pa : Lea & Febiger; 1991.

Chapter Within a Book:

1. Stutsman Young N, O'Hehir TE. Periodontal debridement. In: Woodall IR, ed.Comprehensive Dental Hygiene Care . 3rd ed. St. Louis , Mo : CV Mosby Co; 1993:533-570.

World Wide Web

1. Health Care Financing Administration. 1996 statistics at a glance. Available at: http://www.hcfa.gov/stats/stathili.htm. Accessed December 2, 1996.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure. Authors must disclose their own or a family member's commercial or financial interest in products or relationships with companies that manufacture products mentioned in their articles by signing a “Conflict of Interest” declaration form. An interest in or affiliation with a corporate organization does not necessarily preclude article acceptance, but relationships must be made known to the audience and acknowledged in the article.

Illustrations. Original art, 35-mm slides, and digital files are accepted. Digital images must be high resolution 300 dpi (dots per inch); 3 inches in width; 4-color (CMYK). Files may be submitted in jpg, tiff, and eps format. Powerpoint slides and art embedded in documents are not accepted. Electronic images can be sent via email, or placed on CD or Mac-formatted zip disks. Include a color print out of each image. Write your name, the figure number, and orientation indicators on the back of each photograph or on the front of each slide frame. Indicate the “front” and “top” of the slide according to how it should appear in print. Up to five figures may be published per feature. All materials will be returned after publication.

Art Reproduction Permission. Tables, photographs, or illustrations reproduced exactly from another work must be accompanied by written permission from the original source. Full credit will be given to the original source.

Guidelines for Authors—Columns

The editors of Contemporary Dental Assisting welcome original, unpublished columns on clinical and nonclinical topics of relevance to dental assistants.

Manuscript Format. Articles should be submitted in Microsoft Word format and should not exceed 1,300 words, plus figures and tables (4 maximum). Note: References should only be included in columns or departments when conclusive clinical information is provided and references are deemed necessary. A color head shot and author bio (not to exceed one paragraph), containing credentials and contact information (city, state, phone, fax, e-mail) should be included.

Journal:

1. McConaughy FL, Lukken KM, Toevs SE. Health promotion behaviors of private practice dental hygienists. J Dent Hyg. 1991;65:222-230.

Book:

1. DeBiase CB. Dental Health Education . 9th ed. Philadelphia , Pa : Lea & Febiger; 1991.

Chapter Within a Book:

1. Stutsman Young N, O'Hehir TE. Periodontal debridement. In: Woodall IR, ed. Comprehensive Dental Hygiene Care . 3rd ed. St. Louis , Mo : CV Mosby Co; 1993:533-570.

World Wide Web

1. Health Care Financing Administration. 1996 statistics at a glance. Available at: http://www.hcfa.gov/stats/stathili.htm. Accessed December 2, 1996.

Illustrations. Original art, 35-mm slides, and digital files are accepted. Digital images must be high-resolution 300 dpi (dots per inch); 3 inches in width; 4-color (CMYK). Files may be submitted in jpg, tiff, and eps format. Powerpoint slides and art embedded in documents are not accepted. Electronic images can be sent via email, or placed on CD or Mac-formatted zip disks. Include a color print out of each image. Write your name, the figure number, and orientation indicators on the back of each photograph or on the front of each slide frame. Indicate the “front” and “top” of the slide according to how it should appear in print. Up to five figures may be published per column. All materials will be returned after publication.

Guidelines for Authors—Continuing Education Articles

Contemporary Dental Assisting welcomes original, unpublished CE article pertinent to dental assisting.

Manuscript Format

Each CE article should consist of 3,000 words, and should include references, 15 figures and corresponding captions, and any necessary tables. Make sure all corresponding figures are cited in the text in numerical order. Authors must include figure captions for all figures provided with manuscripts. Manuscripts should be submitted both in hard copy form and on an IBM-formatted disk. If an article is accepted as CE, the author will be asked to provide a review quiz with 15 questions, 3 or 4 learning objectives, and a 1-paragraph abstract.

A color headshot and author biography (not to exceed 2 paragraphs), including credentials and contact information (city/state, phone, fax, email) for private or other practices, should be included for all authors and coauthors of the manuscript.

Accepted manuscripts will be edited for style, grammar, and format. Authors will have 2 opportunities to check the progress of their manuscripts or make any additions/corrections before publication—once in edited manuscript form, and later at a final layout stage.

Illustrations

Manuscripts should be accompanied by 2 complete sets of 15 color figures (preferably slides). Write your name, the figure number, and orientation indicators on the back of each photograph, on the front of each slide frame, or on the front of each print out. (Indicate the “front” and “top” of the slide according to how the slide should appear in print, not in a slide projector.)

Submitting electronic files:

It is imperative that, if you plan on submitting images electronically, you adhere to the following formats. We accept 3 graphic file formats: jpg, tiff, and eps. Any images submitted without these extensions will not be accepted. D o not embed images in Word documents. We cannot use embedded images. Do not submit PowerPoint slide shows. The only acceptable formats are tiff, jpg, and eps.

Electronic graphic files must also be high-resolution. This means that the original photo/slide must be scanned at the following settings: 300 dpi (dots per inch); 3 inches in width; 4-color (CMYK). Please adhere to these formats. Images that do not meet these criteria cannot be used and will be returned for rescanning, holding up the editorial process. Electronic images can be sent via email, or placed on CD or Mac-formatted zip disks. Include a color print out of each image. All original artwork/disks will be returned promptly after manuscript publication.

References

References/citations must appear in the text as typed, numbered superscripts (not footnote annotations) and should be listed at the end of the manuscript in their order of appearance. References cited should be less than 10 years old. Provide complete bibliographic information for all materials cited. Please see the accompanying sample Case Study for the reference format, or consult the AMA Manual of Style.

Manuscript Review

All articles are peer-reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and members of the editorial board. The review process usually takes 8 weeks. If an article is a scientific study devoted primarily to a specific product, the author must include educational background on the clinical conditions the product addresses, the clinical relevance of the research, as well as other existing treatment options. Whenever possible, the product name must be generalized so as not to appear as a commercial endorsement. Failure to comply may result in rejection for publication as a CE article/lesson. The Editor-in-Chief and publisher reserve the right to make revisions in the text where appropriate. If questions arise during the review process, the author will be contacted.

Review Questions

CE Manuscripts must be accompanied by 15 multiple-choice Review Questions (answers must be located directly in the text) so that readers may gain Continuing Education Credits. No true/false questions will be accepted. Questions must have an opening statement, one correct answer, and three distractors. Indicate the correct answer.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

Contemporary Dental Assisting requires that all Case Study authors disclose their own or a family member's commercial or financial interest in any related products or developmental or research relationships with companies that manufacture related products.

Learning Objectives

All CE manuscripts must include specific learning objectives so that readers will be able to identify at the outset what they can expect to learn from the article. Objectives should be phrased using verbs to make clear what the reader will learn, not what the author will discuss. Each objective should be stated in terms that clarify its clinical relevance. Review questions must address stated objectives.

Example:

After reading this article, the reader should be able to:
identify and describe furcation morphology for both maxillary and mandibular molar teeth.
discuss why debridement of furcation areas poses difficult challenges.
describe two technique modifications necessary to instrument furcation areas.

Copyright Reproduction Permission

Tables, photographs, or illustrations reproduced exactly from another work must be accompanied by written permission from the original source. Full credit will be given to the original source.

Instructions for Authors TECH SPECS

Contemporary Dental Assisting welcomes original, unpublished articles on esthetic and restorative dentistry. Our esthetic Tech Specs include product highlights and detailed how-tos for dental professionals. Tech Specs , while instructional in nature, are presented by the manufacturer and are by nature more commercially oriented. However, Tech Specs should aim to provide readers with a quick, simple overview of a product's features and specifications for use, along with any other helpful information regarding operation and/or indications for use.

Manuscript Format Each Tech-Specs article should not exceed 1,000 words , and should include references, where applicable, and no more than 5 to 8 figures and corresponding captions. Make sure all corresponding figures are cited in the text in numerical order. Authors must include figure captions for all figures provided with manuscripts. Manuscripts should be submitted both in hard copy form and on an IBM-formatted disk .

Manufacturer contact information (city/state, phone, fax, email), should be included with the manuscript. Accepted manuscripts will be edited for style, grammar, and format. Authors/manufacturer contacts will have one opportunity to make any additions/corrections before publication—at a final layout stage.

Illustrations

Manuscripts should be accompanied by 5 to 8 color figures (preferably slides). Write your name, the figure number, and orientation indicators on the back of each photograph, on the front of each slide frame, or on the front of each print out. (Indicate the “front” and “top” of the slide according to how the slide should appear in print, not in a slide projector.)

Submitting electronic files:

It is imperative that, if you plan on submitting images electronically, you adhere to the following formats. We accept 3 graphic file formats: jpg, tiff, and eps . Any images submitted without these extensions will not be accepted. Do not embed images in Word documents. We cannot use embedded images. Do not submit PowerPoint slide shows. The only acceptable formats are tiff, jpg, and eps.

Electronic graphic files must also be high-resolution. This means that the original photo/slide must be scanned at the following settings: 300 dpi (dots per inch); 3 inches in width; 4-color (CMYK) . Please adhere to these formats. Images that do not meet these criteria cannot be used and will be returned for rescanning, holding up the editorial process.

Electronic images can be sent via email, or placed on CD or Mac-formatted zip disks. Include a color print out of each image. All original artwork/disks will be returned promptly after manuscript publication.

References

References/citations must appear in the text as typed, numbered superscripts (not footnote annotations) and should be listed at the end of the manuscript in their order of appearance. References cited should be less than 10 years old. Provide complete bibliographic information for all materials cited. Please check back issues of Contemporary Dental Assisting for the reference format, or consult the AMA Manual of Style .

Copyright Reproduction Permission

Tables, photographs, or illustrations reproduced exactly from another work must be accompanied by written permission from the original source. Full credit will be given to the original source.