March 2004

Journal of Dental Research names new editor

IADR and AADR Boards name Smith as Editor of Journal of Dental Research

Alexandria, VA…... The IADR and AADR Boards of Directors are pleased to announce that Anthony J. Smith, BSc, PhD, Professor of Oral Biology at the University of Birmingham, UK, will take the reins of the prestigious Journal of Dental Research (JDR), effective April 1, 2004, subject to approval by both Councils. He succeeds Mark Herzberg (University of Minneapolis), who has held the post for 11 years. The JDR is the flagship publication of the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR), and has dominated the dental literature for decades in terms of Scientific Impact Factor.

Dr. Smith's career to date has been heavily involved in academia, with various leadership responsibilities involving research, education, administration, and management. He leads one of the most active research groups in pulp biology globally, with a strong focus on dental regeneration and cell behavior, which has exciting potential for translation into a new generation of novel clinical therapies for dental disease. His wide international research collaborations with colleagues from many parts of the world have made significant contributions to the field. He has published extensively and is prominent in the IADR Pulp Biology Group as its President-elect and also in the activities of the pan-European COST Action Initiative on Orofacial Development and Regeneration. In accepting Editorship of the JDR, Dr. Smith stated, "I welcome this challenging opportunity to lead the Associations in an exciting and changing time of scientific publishing. An international base to the Editorial office and the ease of global communications will enhance our activities and facilitate the achievement of our scientific goals."

Dr. Smith's vision for the JDR includes:

consolidating its position as the premier international dental research journal,
developing content of the highest scientific quality,
focusing on research that is most original and novel, and
ensuring that it serves the needs of the Associations and researchers in the field exploiting exciting new opportunities in an increasingly competitive international publishing market.

IADR President Stephen Challacombe, PhD, BDS, FRCPath, FDSRCSE, FMedSci (Guy's, King's & St Thomas' Dental Institute, London, UK), stated, "After an exhaustive, year-long international search, we are extremely pleased to have attracted someone of Dr. Smith's caliber for this important position. With the increasing focus on Open Access issues in scientific publishing, Dr. Smith's perspectives will be critical to the continued success of the JDR."

Speaking for the AADR, President Ken Anusavice, PhD, DMD (University of Florida, Gainesville), added, "It's a testimony to Dr. Smith's colleagues' esteem for him that he will be receiving the IADR's Distinguished Scientist Award in Pulp Biology Research at our upcoming General Session in Hawaii. We very much look forward to working with Dr. Smith to enhance the role of the JDR and its prominence in the field."

The International Association for Dental Research is a non-profit organization with over 11,000 individual members and 100 institutional members worldwide. Its mission statement rests on three pillars:

Advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health.
Support and represent the oral health research community.
Facilitate the communication and application of research findings.