The American Dental Association has named the new editors of The Journal of the American Dental Association and an open-access science journal set to launch in 2021.
John Timothy Wright, D.D.S., will be the next editor of JADA, while Jack L. Ferracane, Ph.D., will be the first editor of the ADA's new peer-reviewed, open-access journal spanning basic and clinical sciences to advance research in oral health. They will assume their roles Jan. 1.
"The ADA launched national searches for these editors and sought candidates who had distinguished themselves in their professional achievements, in their commitment to scientific rigor and excellence, and in their service to the dental and research communities at large," said Michelle Hoffman, ADA vice president of publishing. "But it was also essential to find individuals with the vision to take these journals forward and develop them as forums to advance oral health sciences and to equip clinicians to meet present and future challenges. In Drs. Wright and Ferracane, the search committee found those individuals best suited to create platforms that will meet the evolving needs of the profession and that will uphold ADA's enduring commitment to advancing oral health sciences."
 Dr. Wright |
He is a three-time recipient of the William J. Gies Award presented by the American Association for Dental Research and a winner of the Distinguished Scientist Award from the International Association for Dental Research. Dr. Wright also has served the AADR as both vice president and president. He is a member of the Dental Quality Alliance's measure development and maintenance committee, and he is a past chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs.
"Through ADA's extensive search for the next JADA editor-in-chief, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Wright will lead the journal beginning in 2021," ADA Executive Director Kathleen T. O'Loughlin said. "Dr. Wright's vision for JADA to serve as an essential resource for dentists to develop and maintain their ability to provide excellent patient care aligned perfectly with the ADA's vision and the future of JADA."
Dr. Wright studied chemistry at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, where he also earned his dental degree, and he received a master's degree and certification in pediatric dentistry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Through his many presentations and publications, Dr. Wright has spoken or written about topics as diverse as the developmental biology of dental tissue, tooth mineralization and genomics.
"I am very excited about serving as editor-in-chief of JADA," Dr. Wright said. "I have dedicated my career to dental education and science, and I see the editor-in-chief position as a tremendous opportunity to help advance knowledge transfer and to help inform JADA readers using information that is based on the very best available science. I believe that by doing this, JADA provides a crucial resource to assist practitioners in providing the very best in oral health care."
Dr. Wright will assume the role of editor-in-chief from Dr. Jeffrey Platt, professor and chair of the department of biomedical sciences and comprehensive care at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, who became interim editor after Dr. Michael Glick's resignation in March.
The ADA's new open-access, interdisciplinary journal will publish research findings spanning basic and clinical sciences and provide a forum for researchers in a range of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, engineering and computer science, as well as epidemiology and public health. It will convey advances in basic science directly to experts in clinical dentistry and medicine, with the aim of applying new and emerging scientific ideas, tools and techniques to research questions relevant to oral health.
"The ADA is thrilled to be launching this new JADA platform, which will focus on all areas of basic research that inform oral health," Dr. O'Loughlin said. "We are honored to introduce Dr. Ferracane as the founding editor of our new open-access science journal and are excited to see how his vast expertise and knowledge will help the publication come to life."
 Dr. Ferracane |
He has served as vice president and president of both the AADR and the Academy of Dental Materials and received the Wilmer Souder Award from the Dental Materials Group of the IADR — the oldest of the IADR's Distinguished Scientist Awards — and the Hollenback Memorial Prize from the Academy of Operative Dentistry.
Dr. Ferracane also was elected a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers and an honorary member of the American College of Dentists and the Oregon Dental Association. A prolific author of scientific papers, he sits on numerous editorial boards, including the editorial board of Operative Dentistry, and he is an associate editor for the Journal of Dental Research.
He earned a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master's degree and doctoral degree in biological materials from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
"I am honored to have been chosen to serve as the first editor-in-chief of this new open-access journal," Dr. Ferracane said. "I am proud of the ADA for having the vision and commitment to initiate a new scientific journal with the goal of bringing high-quality and relevant basic, translational and clinical research to all who work in the field of oral health, but most especially to providers of care. Enhancing the connection between researchers and practicing clinicians has always been a high priority for me. This is a big task, but I am optimistic that we will experience great success in delivering a highly valued product."