The Journal of Oral and Molecular Translational Medicine (JOMTM)recognizes peer reviewers as essential guardians of scientific quality, academic integrity, and editorial excellence. The peer-review process is central to maintaining the journal’s scholarly rigor, transparency, and ethical standards. These guidelines are intended to provide reviewers with clear expectations to ensure that all manuscript evaluations are fair, constructive, timely, and scientifically robust.
1. Invitation to Review
Accepting or Declining Review Invitations
Upon receiving an invitation to review, reviewers will be provided with the manuscript title, abstract, and a secure link through the journal system to accept or decline the assignment. Reviewers are kindly requested to respond within three (3) days of invitation receipt to facilitate efficient editorial processing.
Access to Manuscripts
Once the invitation is accepted, reviewers will be granted full access to the complete manuscript and any supplementary materials submitted by the authors.
2. Conducting the Review
Confidentiality
All manuscripts and supplementary files are confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, distribute, discuss, or disclose manuscript content with colleagues, students, or third parties without prior authorization from the editorial office.
Timeliness
Reviews should ordinarily be completed within fourteen (14) days of acceptance. If additional time is required, reviewers should notify the editorial office promptly so that appropriate arrangements may be made.
Ethical Responsibilities
Reviewers are expected to:
- Declare any personal, professional, institutional, or financial conflicts of interest before accepting a review assignment;
- Conduct evaluations objectively and impartially;
- Avoid personal criticism of authors;
- Alert the editor immediately if plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation, fabricated results, or ethical concerns are suspected.
3. Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers are asked to assess manuscripts according to the following scholarly dimensions:
| Criterion | Reviewer Consideration |
|---|---|
| Originality | Does the manuscript contribute new knowledge or novel insights? |
| Scientific Significance | Is the topic relevant and impactful within translational medicine and oral sciences? |
| Methodological Rigor | Are study design, methodology, analysis, and interpretation scientifically sound? |
| Clarity and Structure | Is the manuscript logically organized, coherent, and clearly written? |
| Ethical Compliance | Does the study comply with accepted ethical and reporting standards? |
4. Review Format
Each review report should include:
Summary
A concise summary restating the manuscript’s objectives, methodology, and principal findings.
Strengths
Identification of the manuscript’s major scientific contributions, originality, and notable strengths.
Weaknesses
Clear description of limitations, methodological concerns, interpretative weaknesses, or presentation deficiencies.
Recommendations
Specific, constructive suggestions to improve the manuscript.
Recommendation to the Editor
Reviewers should recommend one of the following editorial outcomes:
- Accept as Submitted
- Minor Revisions Required
- Major Revisions Required
- Reject (Unsuitable for Publication)
Confidential Comments to the Editor
Reviewers may provide separate confidential remarks intended solely for editorial consideration. These comments will not be shared with authors.
5. Reviewer Recognition
JOMTM values the scholarly service of its reviewers and recognizes their contributions as fundamental to the journal’s quality and reputation.
Benefits of reviewing include:
- Professional engagement with emerging research at the forefront of translational medicine and oral sciences;
- Participation in international scholarly networks;
- Formal recognition through reviewer certificates and periodic acknowledgment initiatives;
- Consideration for future editorial board appointments based on exemplary review performance.
6. Becoming a Reviewer
Researchers, clinicians, academicians, and subject experts interested in joining the JOMTM reviewer panel are invited to submit:
- A current curriculum vitae (CV);
- A brief statement outlining subject expertise and research interests.
Editorial Office Contact:
editor.jomtm@halapublishinggroup.com
7. Editorial Response Times
The editorial office endeavors to acknowledge receipt of all submitted manuscripts within three (3) business days.
Initial editorial screening is typically completed within 7–10 business days, after which manuscripts suitable for peer review are assigned to expert reviewers.
JOMTM aims to provide authors with a first editorial decision within 4–6 weeks of submission, depending on reviewer availability, complexity of the manuscript, and timeliness of completed peer reviews.
8. Appreciation
The Editorial Board of the Journal of Oral and Molecular Translational Medicine (JOMTM) extends its sincere gratitude to all reviewers for their time, expertise, and scholarly dedication. Through their careful evaluations and critical insights, reviewers uphold the scientific credibility, academic rigor, and international reputation of the journal.