Author Guidelines

Before submitting, authors must read these Instructions for Authors and the EJSOFS Editorial Policies.

Submission templates
Authors must submit a separate Title Page and an Anonymous Main Manuscript. Download and use the official templates:

• Download the EJSOFS Title Page Template: DOWNLOAD
• Download the EJSOFS Anonymous Manuscript Template: DOWNLOAD

Submissions that do not comply with these requirements may be returned before editorial assessment or peer review.

1. About the Journal

The European Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Facial Surgery (EJSOFS) is an international, peer-reviewed, Diamond Open Access journal publishing clinically and scientifically relevant work in stomatology, oral medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orofacial surgery and related disciplines of the head and neck.

Manuscripts must be original, scientifically sound, ethically conducted and relevant to the scope of the Journal. Submission, peer review and editorial processing are conducted electronically through the EJSOFS online submission system.

EJSOFS charges no submission fee, Article Processing Charge (APC), page charge or other mandatory publication fee. Manuscripts must be submitted in English. British or American English may be used, provided that usage is consistent throughout.

These Instructions explain how to prepare and submit a manuscript. Authors must also comply with the Journal’s Editorial Policies, including its policies on peer review, publication ethics, authorship, conflicts of interest, research ethics, data availability, artificial intelligence, image integrity, corrections and retractions.

2. Before Submission

Before submitting, the corresponding author must confirm on behalf of all authors that:

• the manuscript is original and has not been published previously, except as permitted by the Preprints and Prior Publication Policy;
• the manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal;
• all listed authors satisfy all four EJSOFS/ICMJE authorship criteria and the author order has been agreed;
• all authors have reviewed and approved the submitted version;
• appropriate ethical approval, informed consent and consent for publication have been obtained where required;
• all sources of funding, material support and conflicts of interest have been disclosed;
• any substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies has been disclosed;
• all permissions required for reused copyrighted material have been obtained; and
• the data, images and results accurately represent the work performed.

Submission constitutes acceptance of the EJSOFS Editorial Policies.

3. Article Types

*Word counts exclude title page, abstract, references, tables, figure legends and supplementary material. Editors may approve justified exceptions.

Original Research

Reports previously unpublished clinical, experimental, translational, epidemiological or other research. Use Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusions.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses

Must address a defined question using transparent and reproducible methods, follow the applicable PRISMA guideline and provide prospective registration details where applicable.

Narrative and Scoping Reviews

Narrative reviews should critically and authoritatively synthesise an area rather than merely summarise publications. Scoping reviews must follow the appropriate PRISMA extension.

Study Protocols

Clinical-trial protocols must follow current SPIRIT recommendations and include prospective registration. Systematic-review protocols should follow PRISMA-P and provide registration information where applicable.

Clinical or Surgical Techniques / Technical Notes

Should describe a relevant technique, modification, device, procedure or innovation with adequate detail, including rationale, indications, limitations and potential advantages. Novelty alone is insufficient.

Case Reports

Must provide a clear educational or scientific contribution and follow CARE. Routine cases without a meaningful contribution will not normally be considered. Written consent for publication is mandatory.

Case Series

Should extend beyond descriptions of individual cases and have a clear rationale. Follow CARE, STROBE or another appropriate guideline according to the design.

Editorials and Letters

Editorials are normally commissioned; unsolicited proposals should be discussed with the Editorial Office. Letters should address a concise scientific issue or comment promptly on an EJSOFS article.

4. Reporting Guidelines

Authors must follow the current international reporting guideline appropriate to the study design. The relevant completed checklist should be uploaded when available. Authors should consult the EQUATOR Network when uncertain.

CONSORT - randomised controlled trials

STROBE - observational studies

PRISMA / PRISMA-P - systematic reviews and protocols

SPIRIT - clinical-trial protocols

STARD - diagnostic-accuracy studies

TRIPOD and applicable extensions - prediction-model studies

CARE - case reports

ARRIVE - animal research

SQUIRE - quality-improvement studies

COREQ or SRQR - qualitative research

CHEERS - health-economic evaluations

Compliance with a reporting guideline does not compensate for deficient study design, methodology or ethical oversight.

5. Files Required for Initial Submission

EJSOFS uses double-anonymous peer review. Upload the following as separate files:

1. Title Page - contains all identifying information and declarations that could identify the authors.
2. Anonymous Main Manuscript - contains no author names, affiliations, acknowledgements or other identifying information.
3. Figures and supplementary files - uploaded separately where applicable.
4. Completed reporting-guideline checklist - where available and applicable.

Download the EJSOFS Title Page Template: above

Download the EJSOFS Anonymous Manuscript Template: above

6. Double-Anonymous Review and Anonymisation

The anonymous manuscript must not directly identify authors or institutions. Refer to previous work in the third person and cite it normally; do not replace citations with “reference removed for review”. Remove acknowledgements and identifying headers, footers, filenames and document properties. Where an institution is essential to understanding the methods, use a neutral description during review and restore the correct wording after acceptance.

Inadequately anonymised submissions may be returned before review.

7. Title Page

The Title Page must contain:

• full manuscript title and short running title where appropriate;
• full name of every author in the final agreed order;
• numbered institutional affiliations, including city and country/region;
• ORCID iD for the corresponding author and, whenever available, every author;
• name, institutional postal address and email of the corresponding author;
• institution or institutions where the work was conducted;
• article type, main-text and abstract word counts, and numbers of tables and figures;
• applicable reporting guideline and trial/study registration;
• author-contribution statement;
• funding, conflicts of interest, acknowledgements and AI disclosure where applicable.

All author information entered in OJS must correspond exactly to the Title Page.

8. Author Metadata

For every author, enter the full name, official institutional affiliation, city, country/region, email where required by the platform, and ORCID iD whenever available directly in OJS. Adding information only to the manuscript file is insufficient. The corresponding author is responsible for verifying all metadata.

9. Authorship and Contributions

EJSOFS follows the current recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Authorship requires that an individual fulfils all four criteria:

1. Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work; or acquisition, analysis or interpretation of data;
2. Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content;
3. Final approval of the version to be published; and
4. Agreement to be accountable for the individual’s own contributions and for appropriately addressing questions concerning the accuracy or integrity of the work.

Individuals who do not meet all four criteria must not be listed as authors, but may be acknowledged with permission. Funding acquisition, departmental leadership, routine technical support, patient referral or general supervision alone does not justify authorship.

There is no fixed maximum number of authors. Editors may request clarification when the number appears disproportionate. A contributorship statement using the CRediT Contributor Roles Taxonomy is mandatory where applicable.

10. Abstract, Keywords and Highlights

Abstract

Original Research and Systematic Reviews should use Background/Objectives - Methods - Results - Conclusions and not exceed 250 words. Study Protocols should use Background - Methods - Discussion. Case Reports and Case Series may use Background - Case Presentation - Conclusions. Other types may use a concise unstructured abstract of up to 200-250 words where appropriate.

Abstracts must not cite references. Avoid non-standard abbreviations. Provide registration information at the end of the abstract where applicable and include quantitative results where they are central to the findings.

Keywords

Provide 3-6 keywords, preferably selected from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Avoid merely repeating the title where more informative terms are available.

Highlights

Provide 3-5 short statements identifying the most important or novel aspects of the manuscript. Highlights may be used for discoverability and scientific communication and do not normally form part of the peer-reviewed article.

11. Main Manuscript

Introduction

Provide context, summarise relevant knowledge, identify the gap and conclude with a clear objective or hypothesis.

Materials and Methods

Describe the design, setting, participants, eligibility, interventions/exposures, outcomes, sample-size considerations, equipment/materials, statistical methods, ethics, registration and reporting framework in sufficient detail for assessment and, where appropriate, reproduction.

Results

Present findings clearly and objectively. Avoid extensive duplication across text, tables and figures. Report effect sizes and uncertainty where appropriate, not only P values.

Discussion

Interpret the principal findings in context; compare them with existing evidence; address possible mechanisms, clinical or scientific implications, strengths, limitations and future research. Do not merely repeat the Results.

Conclusions

Ensure that conclusions are directly supported by the data and do not overstate clinical or scientific implications.

12. Statistical Reporting

• identify statistical tests and models;
• describe relevant assumptions and handling of missing data;
• report sample-size or power calculations where appropriate;
• report effect estimates and confidence intervals where informative;
• provide exact P values whenever practical;
• identify statistical software and version; and
• distinguish prespecified from exploratory analyses where relevant.

Statistical significance is not a substitute for clinical or scientific importance. Complex analyses may undergo additional statistical review.

13. Abbreviations, Units and Nomenclature

Keep non-standard abbreviations to a minimum and define each at first use in both abstract and main text. Use internationally accepted nomenclature and SI units where applicable. Prefer generic drug names; proprietary names may be included when scientifically necessary.

14. References

Use Vancouver/NLM style and number references consecutively in order of first citation. Authors are responsible for accuracy and completeness. Use standard NLM journal-title abbreviations and include a DOI whenever one exists. Cite original, relevant evidence preferentially. Do not add references primarily to increase citations to particular authors, institutions or journals. Identify preprints clearly.

15. Tables

• number tables consecutively and cite them in numerical order;
• provide a concise, informative title;
• make each table understandable without extensive reference to the text;
• define abbreviations and relevant units in footnotes;
• avoid unnecessary duplication; and
• submit tables as editable text, not images.

16. Figures, Images and Legends

Number figures consecutively and cite them in order. Upload high-resolution figures separately and provide a complete legend for each. Preferred formats include TIFF, JPEG, PNG, EPS or high-quality PDF as appropriate. Photographic images normally require at least 300 dpi at publication size; line drawings may require higher resolution. Labels must remain legible and scale bars must be included where relevant.

Image adjustments must comply with the Image Integrity Policy. Clinical images capable of identifying a patient require written consent for publication; masking the eyes does not necessarily guarantee anonymity. Colour figures are published online without additional charge.

17. Supplementary Material

Supplementary material may include additional tables or figures, videos, datasets, methods, reporting checklists, questionnaires, protocols, statistical code or other relevant files. It must comply with ethical, copyright, privacy and consent requirements. Large datasets should preferably be deposited in a recognised repository.

18. Research Ethics and Consent

Research involving human participants, identifiable human material or identifiable human data must comply with applicable legal and institutional requirements and the current World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki (2024 revision). Identify the approving committee and approval/reference number. If approval was waived, identify the authority granting the waiver and explain why.

Animal research must comply with relevant requirements and applicable ARRIVE recommendations. Written consent for publication is mandatory whenever an individual could reasonably be identified from a description, image, video or other information, and for all case reports. Authors should retain consent documentation and provide it to the Editorial Office if requested.

19. Clinical Trial Registration

Clinical trials must be prospectively registered in an acceptable publicly accessible registry at or before the time of first participant consent for enrolment. Enter the registry and registration number during submission and include them in the manuscript and at the end of the abstract. Explain any failure to register prospectively; retrospective registration does not guarantee consideration. Trial reports must follow applicable CONSORT guidance.

20. Mandatory Declarations

Before the References, include the following headings where applicable. Use “Not applicable” only when genuinely appropriate.

Author Contributions

Provide a CRediT-based contributorship statement where applicable.

Funding

Identify all financial and material support, funder and grant number. If none: “This research received no external funding.”

Ethics Approval

Name the committee and approval/reference number, waiver details, or state “Not applicable”.

Informed Consent to Participate

Provide the appropriate statement for human-participant research.

Consent for Publication

Required for case reports and identifiable information; otherwise state “Not applicable”.

Trial or Study Registration

Provide registry and identifier, or state “Not applicable”.

Data Availability Statement

Required for Original Research and other applicable research articles.

Conflicts of Interest

Provide a complete declaration. If none: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Disclose substantive use as required by Journal policy, identifying tool and purpose.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledge non-author contributors with their permission.

21. Data Availability

Original Research articles must include a Data Availability Statement explaining where and under what conditions supporting data may be accessed. Authors are encouraged to deposit de-identified data, protocols and analysis code in recognised repositories with persistent identifiers when ethically, legally and scientifically appropriate.

Acceptable formulations include:

“The data supporting the findings of this study are available from [repository] at [persistent identifier].”

“The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request, subject to applicable ethical and data-protection restrictions.”

“The data are not publicly available because [specific ethical, legal or confidentiality reason].”

22. Artificial Intelligence and AI-Assisted Technologies

AI systems cannot be authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, references, data, images, analyses and conclusions submitted. Substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in manuscript preparation, scientific content, literature processing, coding, analysis, or image generation/modification must be transparently disclosed according to the Journal’s AI Policy. Routine spelling, grammar and non-generative reference-formatting tools do not normally require disclosure.

Where AI forms part of the scientific methods, report the tool, version where relevant, purpose and sufficient methodological detail in the Methods. Authors must verify all output and ensure that no fabricated references, plagiarism, copyright infringement, manipulated data or confidential information have been introduced.

23. Preprints and Prior Dissemination

A manuscript posted on an appropriate recognised preprint server may be considered. Disclose the preprint and provide its persistent identifier at submission. After publication, update the preprint record with the DOI and final citation where possible. Conference abstracts and presentations do not ordinarily preclude submission of the full manuscript, provided prior dissemination is acknowledged where appropriate. Duplicate publication is not permitted.

24. Cover Letter

A cover letter is optional. Authors may use it to explain special circumstances, related manuscripts, previous editorial correspondence or information relevant only to the editor. It must not be used to replace required declarations or metadata in OJS.

25. Revised Manuscripts

When revision is requested, upload:

1. Response to Reviewers - a professional, point-by-point response to every editorial and reviewer comment;
2. Tracked Manuscript - clearly showing changes;
3. Clean Manuscript - revised text without tracked changes; and
4. Revised figures, tables or supplementary files where applicable.

Where authors disagree with a requested change, provide a clear scientific or procedural justification. The decision letter will specify the revision deadline; extensions may be requested when necessary.

26. Acceptance, Proofs and Production

Accepted manuscripts may undergo copyediting, language and style editing, reference checking, metadata verification, layout and typesetting. Authors will receive proofs and must check and return them within the stated period. Proofs are intended to correct production errors and minor inaccuracies, not to introduce substantial changes. Substantive changes require editorial approval.

27. Publication, Copyright and Open Access

Articles are published electronically in their final citable form and receive a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Articles may appear Online First before issue assignment.

EJSOFS is a Diamond Open Access journal. Authors retain copyright. Unless otherwise stated, articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Consult the Open Access, Copyright and Licensing Policy for full terms.