The AAO will launch its second peer-reviewed journal, the AJO-DO Clinical Companion, shortly before the 2021 Annual Session (June 25-27). The bi-monthly, online-only publication will be a new member benefit, free to all AAO members.

Dr. Rolf Behrents, editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, will serve in the same capacity for the Clinical Companion, with Dr. Jae Hyun Park serving as deputy editor. Dr. Park is a professor and chair of the Postgraduate Orthodontic Program at the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health and is a director of the American Board of Orthodontics.

“For more than a century, the AJO-DO has been the leading resource in the world for orthodontists,” said Dr. Behrents. “The success of the Journal, however, has resulted in a significant increase in submissions and creating a backlog of accepted articles. Many of these papers are clinical case studies, for which we have very limited space in the AJO-DO due to the journal’s focus on foundational scientific research on orthodontic treatment.

“The AJO-DO Clinical Companion will focus more on applied science, opening up a wealth of publication opportunities for the many qualified authors in the orthodontic specialty worldwide,” added Dr. Behrents. “The Clinical Companion will be dedicated to excellence in clinical orthodontics, featuring original, peer-reviewed clinical articles online and examining all aspects of orthodontics to facilitate successful treatment.”

Illustrated throughout, the new journal will include photographs, illustrations, graphs and tables. Coverage will include practice management, diagnostic procedures and treatment planning, imaging techniques, orthodontic materials, strategies that include aligners and implants, orthognathic surgery, TMJ disorders, craniofacial treatments, sleep apnea and other topics. 

“With case reports as a centerpiece, the prime focus of the new journal will be on ideas and information that document and then extend strategies for successful orthodontic treatment,” said Dr. Park. “It is a great honor and pleasure to begin my term as deputy editor of the AJO-DO Clinical Companion. I will do my best to expand its quality and value.”

The debut of the Clinical Companion will result in some editorial restructuring of the AJO-DO, with some existing elements moving to the Clinical Companion and the addition of other relevant features to the new journal. Changes will include:

● Clinical articles such as Case Reports and Clinician’s Corner will be moved from the AJO-DO to the AJO-DO Clinical Companion.

● Accompanying the above content will be two new sections, Clinical Techniques and Case Report Update. In the Case Report Update series, the authors will follow up on previously reported cases and briefly describe how the treatment was maintained over time.

● Narrative Literature Reviews and Best Evidence sections will aid readers of the Clinical Companion in evidence-based decision-making.

● The Classics section will feature classic articles that have valuable clinical tips, revisited with added commentary.

● A new Products and Procedures section will provide reports designed to help clinicians by providing new information about products and treatments.

● Expert Voices in Clinical Orthodontics will feature seasoned orthodontists detailing various treatments they use to achieve excellent outcomes.

● New sections titled Practice Management and The Staff Speaks will model successful orthodontic practice strategies and highlight team members’ contributions toward excellence in treatment.

● Pillars of Orthodontics, Book Reviews, and In Memoriam will move from the AJO-DO to the Clinical Companion.


Submissions Sought for the Clinical Companion
Like the AJO-DO, the AJO-DO Clinical Companion will be published by Elsevier Publishing, a worldwide provider of scientific, medical and technical information.

Elsevier has opened the article submission portal for the Clinical Companion online. Click here to learn how to submit a paper.