Waiver Policy

Article Processing Charges (APCs)

Al-Rafidain Dental Journal is an open-access, peer-reviewed publication. To sustain high-quality editorial and publishing services, the journal applies a modest Article Processing Charge (APC) of 100,000 IQD per accepted manuscript. This fee supports peer review management, copyediting, digital preservation, and open-access hosting.

Commitment to Equity and Access

The Journal is committed to equitable access to scientific publishing. We believe that the inability to pay should not prevent authors from publishing their research. Therefore, we provide a transparent and fair waiver policy that allows eligible authors to request a reduction or full exemption from APCs.

Waiver Eligibility

Waivers may be granted on a full (100%) or partial (50%) basis in the following cases:

1. Authors from Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries
   - Based on the current World Bank Country and Lending Classification: World Bank Country and Lending Classification
   - Authors from low-income countries may receive a full waiver (100%).
   - Authors from lower-middle-income countries may receive a partial waiver (50%).
   
   2. Unfunded Researchers
      - Authors who have no access to institutional, governmental, or grant funding, and who can demonstrate financial hardship.
   3. Students and Early-Career Researchers
      - Undergraduate, postgraduate, or early-career researchers whose work was conducted without external funding support.
   4. Public-Health or Regional Significance
      - Exceptional manuscripts with high scientific or societal impact relevant to oral and dental health in developing regions may qualify for a full waiver.

How to Apply

• Waiver requests must be submitted at the time of manuscript submission or before the final acceptance stage.
  • Applicants should submit a short justification letter and any supporting evidence (such as an institutional letter, funding status statement, or personal declaration).
  • Requests should be sent by email to: Contact email: [email protected] with the subject line “Waiver Request – [Manuscript Title]”.
  • Each application will be reviewed confidentially by the Managing Editor in consultation with the Editorial Office.
  • A decision will be communicated to the author within 10 working days.

Editorial Independence

The granting or denial of a waiver does not influence the editorial or peer-review process. All manuscripts are evaluated solely on their scientific merit, originality, and relevance, independent of the author’s ability to pay publication fees.

Transparency and Reporting

To promote accountability and openness, the journal may include in its annual editorial report the percentage of accepted manuscripts that received full or partial waivers. This supports our mission to ensure equitable access and uphold best practices in open-access publishing.

Contact

For questions regarding the waiver policy or eligibility, please contact:
Contact email: [email protected] 

Al-Rafidain Dental Journal Editorial Office – University of Mosul