The discipline of Implant Dentistry has reached a critical publication mass due to the plethora of basic science and clinical breakthroughs discovered by researchers and manufacturers. In addition to traditional postgraduate programs that incorporate implant dentistry offered by numerous universities, there are many implant-specific programs that culminate with a Masters Degree or equivalent. These programs, which are diverse in terms of learning objectives and training material, often require candidates to complete a significant research project in implant dentistry that results in publication. The propagation of such programs has resulted in implant dentistry becoming a multidisciplinary and vibrant field of patient care1 and has induced a surge in the number of implant-related manuscripts submitted for publication.
The American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) Board of Trustees has made Journal of Oral Implantology (JOI) a priority and has substantially increased financial support over the past 4 years. Still, the increase in the number and quality of manuscripts submitted for peer-review and possible publication has led to the accumulation of clinically relevant, acceptable manuscripts that risk delayed, or no, publishing. To help accommodate the increased number of acceptable submissions, and to support the timely publishing of clinical and scientific advancements, the JOI Editorial staff has decided to expand the print space by incrementally decreasing the width of page margins and font size. These negligible changes will have little impact on esthetics, but will allow for publication of 2–3 additional papers per issue. Furthermore, this annual special issue allows for the publication of a portion of the inventory of accepted manuscripts.
The goal for the AAID and the JOI is to advance the field of implant dentistry by providing authors with an effective and timely vehicle for disseminating information. The JOI Editorial staff will be releasing updated publication standards over the coming months that will facilitate the publication process and result in enhanced manuscripts that flow smoothly and efficiently from rationale to conclusion. The updated standards will help alleviate some of the anxiety that accompanies the writing of an effective scientific paper and will help the JOI adapt to the robust growth that it is currently experiencing.
The articles published in this special issue have been selected based purely on their scientific merit and are not biased or encumbered by the corporate sponsors. As the Editor-in-Chief, I would like to thank our advertisers for supporting the JOI by helping finance the costs of providing this journal. This mutually beneficial partnership allows authors to disseminate valuable research findings, readers to learn about techniques and products that can enhance their daily practice, and manufacturers to present their products. I encourage our readers to support the companies that support our profession.