Announcements

COPE  Membership

The Editorial Board of Al-Rafidain Dental Journal is pleased to announce the successful completion of the journal's membership with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), a leading international organization dedicated to promoting integrity and ethical standards in scholarly publishing.

This achievement reflects the journal's continued commitment to the highest standards of publication ethics, transparency, editorial quality, and research integrity.

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OASPA Membership

Al-Rafidain Dental Journal is pleased to announce that it has been accepted as a member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA).

This membership reflects the journal’s commitment to maintaining high standards in open access publishing, including transparency, ethical editorial practices, and the dissemination of high-quality scholarly research.

The journal’s inclusion in the OASPA membership directory further affirms its adherence to internationally recognized best practices in scholarly publishing.

Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA)

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Editorial Board Changes/ Editorial Transparency Statement on Editor-in-Chief Appointment

As part of the Journal’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a dynamic, independent, and forward-looking Editorial Board, periodic updates to its membership are undertaken to ensure diversity of expertise, renewal of perspectives, and adherence to international publishing standards. During the current cycle, several long-serving members have concluded their terms, and new colleagues have joined the Board to support the Journal’s continued development and academic quality.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the departing Editorial Board members for their valuable service and long-standing contributions. Their dedication has played a significant role in strengthening the Journal’s scholarly standing. The following colleagues have stepped down to allow for the inclusion of new members in accordance with the Journal’s governance and renewal policy.

The Journal also wishes to provide a clear and transparent statement regarding the publication record of Professor Dr. Ali Rajih Al-Khatib in relation to his appointment as Editor-in-Chief (EiC).

Professor Dr. Ali Rajih Al-Khatib authored several articles in this Journal prior to his appointment as Editor-in-Chief on 8 October 2025. All such manuscripts were submitted, externally peer-reviewed, accepted, and scheduled for publication before the commencement of his EiC term. At no stage did he participate in the editorial handling, reviewer selection, evaluation, or final decision-making processes for these manuscripts.

In accordance with Scopus transparency principles, COPE ethical guidelines, and best international editorial practices, the Journal enforces the following ethical rules for all Editorial Board members:

  • Editors do not handle or influence decisions on their own submissions or those of close collaborators.

  • Any editorial-member submission is managed independently with external peer review.

  • The Editor-in-Chief does not submit manuscripts during their term.

  • All conflicts of interest are declared, documented, and decisions are based solely on scholarly merit.

Updated: 8 October 2025