#Letters to the Editor The Honorary Editor welcomes letters from the profession. Letters should not exceed 350 words and should be submitted to journaleditor@irishdentalassoc.ie. Letters will be published subject to space availability on an issue-by-issue basis. The Honorary Editor reserves the right to publication. #Guidelines for Authors PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES CLINICAL FEATURES CLINICAL TIPS The journal accepts original research studies, clinical case reports, position papers, literature reviews, brief communications, clinical features, and other material that is of interest to the Irish dental profession. ## Submission requirements **_Manuscript Format_** All material will be evaluated for publication on the understanding that the work submitted has not been published elsewhere (except as an abstract), that it has not and will not be submitted to another journal until the Editor has made a decision on its acceptability for this journal and that, if accepted, its contents will not be published elsewhere without the Editor’s permission. Accepted papers become the copyright of the Journal of the Irish Dental Association and permission must be sought from publishers before they can be reprinted elsewhere.

PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES

Aims and scope Articles must clearly state the problem and objective of the research, include a summary of relevant literature in the introduction, describe the research method, report the results briefly and accurately, discuss the results, and list the conclusions that can be drawn from the research. Clinical case reports should briefly describe the particular clinical problem, the author’s method of managing the problem, and a rationale for such treatment with appropriate references to the literature. If appropriate, diagrams or descriptions of the differential diagnosis and any specialised tests should be included, to improve understanding for the reader. Literature reviews should emphasise what the reader can learn, and report new, helpful or timesaving techniques or procedures. All accepted manuscripts are subject to editorial revision. The lead/corresponding author will receive edited proofs for approval. The authors will be responsible for all statements in the article, including changes made by the editor. Manuscript format • Research papers submitted to the Journal should not exceed 3,500 words, counting from the Introduction, and including referencing and tables. To facilitate publication, authors should be mindful that they may need to reduce the word count if their paper includes a large number of images. Authors are strongly encouraged to stay within those limits. The ‘Methods’ and ‘Results’ sections are usually where papers go beyond the allocated word count, and authors are encouraged to consider submitting heavily detailed material for inclusion in a separate online Appendix. • The text must be a minimum of 10pt size and double spaced. • Each page must be numbered in consecutive order from the title page, through the abstract, text, references, tables and photographs in that order. • For the body of the text, the standard headings – introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions, etc. – should be used. Do not include any identifiable information in the body of the manuscript as we operate a double blind review system. Authors' details should be provided and uploaded in a separate title page per the guidelines below. Cover letter • A short cover letter must accompany all submissions. Title page • The title page, must contain the title and all the authors’ names and affiliations. Dentists registered in the Republic of Ireland must not use any qualifications not registered by them with the Dental Council. • This page must also give the name, address, phone number and email of the corresponding author, who will undertake correspondence, proofreading, etc. Précis A concise précis (not more than 25 words) should state the conclusions of the report and must be submitted as a separate document. Abstract • Each manuscript should contain a structured abstract of a maximum of 250 words, with the headings: introduction; objectives; methods; results; and, conclusions. A concise précis (not more than 25 words) should state the conclusions of the report, and be entered together with the abstract (directly after). References • References should be from indexed, peer-reviewed journals but may include relevant clinical guidelines, and should be kept succinct. A maximum of 25 references is recommended. • References must be identified in the text by superscript and numbered consecutively in order of appearance in the text. References appearing in tables only shall be numbered in relation to the first mention of the table in the text. The list of references should be placed at the end of the article and must be numbered as in the text and placed in numerical order. References shall be given in the American Medical Association (AMA) style: For example: Rainer S, Thomas D, Tokarz D, et al. Myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 gene mutations cause paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis. _Arch Neurol_. 2004;61(7):1025-1029. For further information, go to: https://www.lynchburg.edu/wp-content/uploads/citation-style/Guide-to-AMA-Manual-of-Style.pdf. Tables and figures • All tables and figures must be uploaded separately, and must have a consecutive number and a clear, concise title. Do not duplicate data in tables and text. Include adequate information (using footnotes if necessary) to make the table self-explanatory. • Pictures should be jpeg, pdf or eps files. These electronic images must be at least 300dpi/500kbs and of publishable size. Pictures must not be embedded in the word processing file. • Radiographs must be of a high quality Additional required files Authors' consent + checklist • A signed consent form + submission checklist shall be submitted by the authors confirming that they: a. have contributed to the authorship of the submitted manuscript; b. have seen and approved the submitted version of the manuscript; and, c. consent to the corresponding author co-ordinating future correspondence between the Journal office and the authors. It is the lead/corresponding author’s responsibility to ensure that any proofs/editorial revisions are approved, if necessary, by any co-author(s). • The authors’ consent form + submission checklist form can be found at https://www.dentist.ie/advice-to-authors/advice-to-authors.8314.html Multiple choice questions for CPD Continuous professional development (CPD) is a significant element of the Journal’s remit and dental professionals receive CPD points for reading a peer-reviewed article. We have a duty to the Dental Council to ensure that the article is read and understood. The Editorial Board therefore now requires each lead author to submit three multiple-choice questions on their article, along with the answers. The questions will appear at the end of the article, and readers will need to submit their answers through the IDA website, which will then automatically award the relevant points, if the questions are answered correctly. Questions should be factual, ensure synthesis of the article, and be fair to any non-expert reading the publication. The questions and answers should be uploaded with all the other submission documents. General instructions • Spelling should be that of the Oxford Dictionary. • Avoid excessive use of abbreviations. Authors may use abbreviations that are in common use in scientific literature. They may introduce less familiar abbreviations whenever unwieldy terms are repeated in the text. The abbreviation should be introduced (in parentheses) where the term is mentioned first and the abbreviation should be used thereafter. On occasion it may be desirable to list abbreviations as a footnote. • Authors must disclose any financial interest that they have in products mentioned in their articles or that they will receive compensation from a commercial company upon publication of the article. • All acknowledgements should be concise and include only identification of grant sources and permission to reproduce from previous publications. ## Editorial and Peer Review Process All manuscripts are reviewed by the Honorary Editor, editorial staff and a number of reviewers using a standardised peer-review process. The authors should be sent the reviewers’ comments, a decision and any recommended changes by the Honorary Editor within six weeks of submission. The Honorary Editor and publishers reserve the right to make minor editorial changes to accepted manuscripts. The Honorary Editor’s decision is final. The journal administers double-blind review, please ensure you have any identifying information removed from the main text and replaced with XXX, such as institution names. ## Copyright Accepted papers become the copyright of the Journal of the Irish Dental Association and permission must be sought from publishers before they can be reprinted elsewhere. ## Click on the link below to submit via Scholastica https://app.scholasticahq.com/submissions/jida/new

CLINICAL FEATURES

The purpose of JIDA Science is to provide good-quality information to support continuing education, professional development and best practice. We aim to benefit our members, our patients, and the wider dental profession by publishing original research studies, clinical case reports, position papers, literature reviews, brief communications, clinical features, clinical tips, and other material that is of interest to the Irish dental profession. The following guidelines explain the format in which clinical features should be submitted to JIDA Science. This is recommended reading for anyone in the process of submitting material. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in rejection of manuscripts or delays in the review and publication process. All material will be evaluated for publication on the understanding that the work submitted has not been published elsewhere (except as an abstract), that it has not and will not be submitted to another journal until the Editor has made a decision on its acceptability for this journal and that, if accepted, its contents will not be published elsewhere without the Editor’s permission. Accepted papers become the copyright of JIDA Science and permission must be sought from publishers before they can be reprinted elsewhere. Aims and scope Clinical features aim to illustrate techniques, new evidence and key learning, and should be highly visual. Articles must clearly state their objective, and why this is an important topic, and should include a summary of relevant literature. The use of clinical cases to illustrate the main topics covered in the article is recommended. The use of images, diagrams and tables is also encouraged. All accepted manuscripts are subject to editorial revision. The lead/corresponding author will receive edited proofs for approval. The authors will be responsible for all statements in the article, including changes made by the editor. It is the lead/corresponding author’s responsibility to ensure that any proofs/editorial revisions are approved, if necessary, by any co-author(s). Manuscript format • Clinical features should not exceed 2,000 words, including referencing and tables. • Include 2 to 4 learning outcomes before the Introduction. • The text must be a minimum of 10pt size and double spaced. • Each page must be numbered in consecutive order from the title page, through the abstract, text, references, tables and photographs in that order. Please note: the completion of a Précis and CPD questions are not a requirement of submission for Clinical Features. However, due to limitatations within Scholastica, these file uploads are required. To progress with your submission, please upload blank documents as part of the file upload process. Title page • The title page, must contain the title and all the authors’ names and affiliations. Dentists registered in the Republic of Ireland must not use any qualifications not registered by them with the Dental Council. • This page must also give the name, address, phone number and email of the corresponding author, who will undertake correspondence, proofreading, etc. References • References should be from indexed, peer-reviewed journals but may include relevant clinical guidelines, and should be kept succinct. A maximum of 10 references is recommended for clinical features. • References must be identified in the text by superscript and numbered consecutively in order of appearance in the text. References appearing in tables only shall be numbered in relation to the first mention of the table in the text. The list of references should be placed at the end of the article and must be numbered as in the text and placed in numerical order. References shall be given in the American Medical Association (AMA) style: For example: Rainer S, Thomas D, Tokarz D, et al. Myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 gene mutations cause paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis. _Arch Neurol_. 2004;61(7):1025-1029. For further information, go to: https://www.lynchburg.edu/wp-content/uploads/citation-style/Guide-to-AMA-Manual-of-Style.pdf. Tables and figures • All tables must be in separate sheets and must have a consecutive number and a clear concise title. Do not duplicate data in tables and text. Include adequate information (using footnotes if necessary) to make the table self-explanatory. • Pictures should be jpeg, pdf or eps files. These electronic images must be at least 300dpi/500kbs and of publishable size. Pictures must not be embedded in the word processing file. • Figures must be identified with a number in order of their mention in the text. • Radiographs must be of a high quality. General instructions • Spelling should be that of the Oxford Dictionary. • Avoid excessive use of abbreviations. Authors may use abbreviations that are in common use in scientific literature. They may introduce less familiar acronyms/abbreviations whenever unwieldy terms are repeated in the text. The abbreviation should be introduced (in parentheses) where the term is mentioned first and the abbreviation should be used thereafter. On occasion it may be desirable to list abbreviations as a footnote. • Authors must disclose any financial interest that they have in products mentioned in their articles or that they will receive compensation from a commercial company upon publication of the article. • All acknowledgements should be concise and include only identification of grant sources and permission to reproduce from previous publications. Review Clinical features may be peer-reviewed. Our publishers can provide support in subediting and with the design elements of the feature, such as layout, tables, diagrams, production, and any photography. To facilitate this, authors should submit their feature at least three weeks before the editorial deadline for that issue. ## Submission Click on the link below to submit via Scholastica. https://app.scholasticahq.com/submissions/jida/new

CLINCIAL TIPS>

The purpose of JIDA Science is to provide good quality information to support continuing education, professional development and best practice. We aim to benefit our members, our patients, and the wider dental profession by publishing original research studies, clinical case reports, position papers, literature reviews, brief communications, clinical features, clinical tips, and other material that is of interest to the Irish dental profession. The following guidelines explain the format in which clinical tips should be submitted to JIDA Science. This is recommended reading for anyone in the process of submitting material. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in rejection of manuscripts or delays in the review and publication process. All material will be evaluated for publication on the understanding that the work submitted has not been published elsewhere (except as an abstract), that it has not and will not be submitted to another journal until the Editor has made a decision on its acceptability for this journal and that, if accepted, its contents will not be published elsewhere without the Editor’s permission. Accepted papers become the copyright of JIDA Science and permission must be sought from publishers before they can be reprinted elsewhere. Aims and scope Clinical tips aim to illustrate techniques/approaches to the Irish dental profession, in a short and easy-to-interpret format. These should be highly visual and can include summary tables, photographs, diagrams and/or key learning points. A short introduction should summarise the clinical problem, followed by the description of the technique in a step-by-step manner. All accepted manuscripts are subject to editorial revision. The lead/corresponding author will receive edited proofs for approval. The authors will be responsible for all statements in the article, including changes made by the editor. It is the lead/corresponding author’s responsibility to ensure that any proofs/editorial revisions are approved, if necessary, by any co-author(s). Manuscript format • Clinical tips should not exceed 1,000 words, including references (very visual features may be shorter). • A bullet point or numbering format is recommended, with photos to illustrate the important stages of the technique in question. • The text must be a minimum of 10pt size and double spaced. • Each page must be numbered in consecutive order from the title page, through the text, references, tables and photographs in that order. Please note: the completion of a Précis and CPD questions are not a requirement of submission for Clinical Tips. However, due to limitatations within Scholastica, these file uploads are required. To progress with your submission, please upload blank documents as part of the file upload process. Title page • The title page, must contain the title and all the authors’ names and affiliations. Dentists registered in the Republic of Ireland must not use any qualifications not registered by them with the Dental Council. • This page must also give the name, address, phone number and email of the corresponding author, who will undertake correspondence, proofreading, etc. References • As opinion pieces, clinical tips should not be heavily referenced, but may include two to four references or further recommended reading, such as a position paper, clinical guideline, advice sheet or systematic review. • References should be from indexed, peer-reviewed journals but may include relevant clinical guidelines, and should be kept succinct. • References must be identified in the text by superscript and numbered consecutively in order of appearance in the text. References appearing in tables only shall be numbered in relation to the first mention of the table in the text. The list of references should be placed at the end of the article and must be numbered as in the text and placed in numerical order. References shall be given in the American Medical Association (AMA) style: For example: Rainer S, Thomas D, Tokarz D, et al. Myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 gene mutations cause paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis. _Arch Neurol_. 2004;61(7):1025-1029. For further information, go to: https://www.lynchburg.edu/wp-content/uploads/citation-style/Guide-to-AMA-Manual-of-Style.pdf. Tables and figures • A maximum of six tables, figures and images is recommended. All tables must be on separate sheets and must have a consecutive number and a clear, concise title. Do not duplicate data in tables and text. Include adequate information (using footnotes if necessary) to make the table self-explanatory. • Pictures and radiographs should be high quality jpg, pdf or eps files. These electronic images must be at least 300dpi/500kbs and of publishable quality. Pictures must not be embedded in the word processing file. • Figures must be identified with a number in order of their mention in the text. • Radiographs must be of a high quality. General instructions • Spelling should be that of the Oxford Dictionary. • Avoid excessive use of abbreviations. Authors may use abbreviations that are in common use in scientific literature. They may introduce less familiar acronyms/abbreviations whenever unwieldy terms are repeated in the text. The abbreviation should be introduced (in parentheses) where the term is mentioned first and the abbreviation should be used thereafter. On occasion it may be desirable to list abbreviations as a footnote. • Authors must disclose any financial interest that they have in products mentioned in their articles or that they will receive compensation from a commercial company upon publication of the article. • All acknowledgements should be concise and include only identification of grant sources and permission to reproduce from previous publications. Review These features are not externally peer reviewed, but the Honorary Editor and relevant Editorial Board members can support the authors in finalising the content in Journal style. They also ensure that the content is of the standard required for publication. Our publishers can provide support in subediting and with the design elements of the feature, such as layout, tables, diagrams, production and any photography. To facilitate this, authors should submit their feature at least three weeks before the editorial deadline for that issue. ## Submission Click on the link below to submit via Scholastica. https://app.scholasticahq.com/submissions/jida/new

Diagnostic Pathway of Head & Neck Cancer Patients in Ireland: Audit of patterns of first attendance 1983-2019.