Orapuh Journal | Journal of Oral & Public Health

Editorial Policies

Orapuh Journal (Orap J) encourages authors to thoroughly review these policies before submitting manuscripts. All submissions must conform to the journal's policies. By submitting a manuscript to Orap J, authors agree to adhere to these policies.

Authorship
To qualify as an author of an Orap J article, an individual must have made substantial contributions to the development of the article.

While Orap J employs rigorous peer-review and editorial processes to minimise errors, the accuracy and integrity of the information in published articles remain the responsibility of the authors.

Before publication, authors must sign a statement affirming that the manuscript meets authorship criteria. This statement may be signed by the lead or corresponding author on behalf of all authors.

Corresponding Author
For manuscripts with multiple authors, one author must be designated as the corresponding author. This individual will handle all communications regarding the manuscript.

All manuscripts must be submitted by one of the authors.

In-Text Citations and Referencing
Orap J adopts the APA (7th edition) referencing style. Authors are advised to familiarise themselves with this style to ensure compliance.

Consent for Publication
For manuscripts containing identifiable details, images, or videos, authors must secure written informed consent from the relevant individuals or their guardians (if under 18) or next of kin (if the individual is deceased). Consent should include a clause that such materials will be freely accessible on the internet under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.

If the materials are entirely unidentifiable, authors are exempt from this requirement. A statement confirming consent for publication must be included in the manuscript.

Self-Plagiarism
Self-plagiarism, or reusing text from one’s prior publications, is generally discouraged but may be acceptable in certain circumstances. Such instances must be transparently disclosed, with due consideration for copyright requirements.

Ethics Approval
Research involving human participants, materials, or data must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki. Authors must secure approval or exemption from an appropriate ethics committee before commencing research.

Manuscripts must include a statement detailing the ethics approval, including the name and reference number of the committee. The editor reserves the right to contact the ethics committee for verification.

Competing Interests
Authors, editors, and reviewers must declare all competing interests (financial or non-financial). Authors should disclose these at the end of their manuscript.

If no competing interests exist, the statement should read:
"The author(s) declare(s) that they have no competing interests."

Competing interests may include financial relationships (e.g., funding, stocks, or patents) or ideological, personal, or political biases that could influence the interpretation of data.

Co-Publication in Multiple Journals
Publishing an article previously published elsewhere is permissible only at the Editor’s discretion and with the original publisher's consent.

Research Summaries
Orap J occasionally publishes summaries of independent research relevant to the journal’s niche. These summaries are freely accessible online and may undergo peer review.

Acknowledgements
Individuals or entities contributing to the manuscript’s success may be recognised in the Acknowledgements section.

Other Important Editorial Policies
Peer Review
Orap J employs a double-blind peer-review process to ensure manuscripts are relevant, accurate, and original.

The process:

1. Manuscripts (excluding author identities and affiliations) are sent to two independent experts in the field.
2. Anonymous reviewer comments are shared with authors for revisions.
3. Revised submissions undergo editorial review by the Editor-in-Chief.
4. The Handling Editor oversees the peer-review process unless they have a competing interest or are an author/co-author of the manuscript, in which case another editor assumes the responsibility.

Peer Reviewers
The Handling Editor selects independent reviewers. Authors may suggest or request the exclusion of specific reviewers, though the editor is not obligated to honour these requests. Suggested reviewers must not be recent collaborators or workplace colleagues.

Portability of Peer Review
Orap J supports emerging researchers by considering manuscripts previously reviewed by another publisher but unpublished. Reviewer comments must be provided for consideration.

Editorial Review
The Editor-in-Chief meticulously reviews manuscripts to ensure factual accuracy and coherence of ideas.

Confidentiality
Editors and reviewers must treat all manuscript-related information confidentially. Exceptions include authorised surveys or ethical inquiries requiring third-party involvement. Corresponding authors will be contacted before sharing such information.

Open Access
All Orap J articles are open access, and distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant third parties the right to use, reproduce, and disseminate their work without financial or registration restrictions.

Archiving/Preprint Servers and Repositories
Accepted or published articles are deposited in digital archives for long-term preservation. Authors may:

a. Post manuscripts on personal or institutional websites.
b. Include manuscripts in academic theses or repositories.
c. Incomplete or draft manuscripts may also be deposited in repositories without constituting prior publication.

Publication Journey
1. Submission of the manuscript via the online system.
2. Initial editorial review for completeness and compliance.
3. Double-blind peer review by two independent experts.
4. Author revises the manuscript based on reviewer feedback.
5. Final decision: acceptance, rejection, or further review.
6. Payment of the Article Processing Charge (APC) upon acceptance.
7. Final editorial review and copy-editing.
8. DOI assignment and publication.
9. Immediate online availability and third-party dissemination.
10. Archiving in LOCKSS and PKP PN for preservation.

Withdrawal requests 
If, for any reason, an author or authors wish to withdraw a published article, they must submit a formal letter to the editor. This letter should clearly state the reason(s) for the withdrawal request and be accompanied by proof of payment of an administrative fee of $50.

Contacts
For inquiries or concerns at any stage:

Physical Address: F. Gaye R., Sukuta-Jamisa, Greater Banjul Area, The Gambia.
Postal Address: UMTG, PMB 405, Serrekunda, The Gambia.
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp/Telegram/Call/SMS: +220-718-5516

Numbering Articles in Orap J
Orap J publishes articles online and assigns a unique article number to each.

Citing format (APA 7th edition):

Author(s). (Year). Title. Orap J, Volume(issue), Article number.
E.g., Abdulahi, O. A., & Robinson, R. B. (2023). Coronavirus in Wuhan. Orapuh Journal, 2(1), e0012.

Appeals and Complaints
To appeal a decision or file a complaint:

Contact the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected].
If unresolved, escalate to the Orapuh Redress & Disciplinary Committee.