Can you think of 2 terms more powerful than “evolution” and “communication”? Change (evolution) represents the only real constant you can rely on in this universe, and certainly the transmission of information by various means (communication) is paramount to our continuing existence. Now, to infuse oxygen into the brain, reflect on the following historical progression: drawings or carvings on walls of caves, language, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the printing press, books, the digital world of computers, the Internet, the Web, and the Cloud. Feel the acceleration! Let’s relate this surge to our Journal . If we used the term “paperless journal” 75 years ago in reference to today’s AJO-DO , it would connote bankruptcy or insolvency. Now, the term transports us to the digital universes of the Internet and World Wide Web. Have you considered how the word “journalism” relates to our evolving Journal ? Generally, journalism is the gathering, processing, and dissemination of information to an audience. Specifically, scientific journalism presents reliable, verifiable, and accurate facts (the truth), put in a meaningful context, relatively free from bias and subject to further investigation. Yes, that’s what editors, consultants, and authors of your AJO-DO do. However, just as the truth in Newtonian physics evolved toward that of quantum physics with the advent of Einstein’s special relativity, the Journal will continue to develop innovative methods to enlighten our specialty and the public. Curiosity and exploration transform translucency into transparency. A transparent approach to evidence reduces bias, thus improving accuracy. Accuracy becomes the foundation upon which manuscripts—their context, critical analysis, interpretation, and discussion—are built. Verification or a consistent method of testing and presenting this information using the IMRaD (Introduction, Materials & Methods, Research, and Discussion) format prevents human biases from undermining the accuracy of research. (IMRaD was developed by Sir Bradford Hill in 1965 for standardization of research text.) Verification separates scientific journalism from other modes of communication such as advertisement, entertainment, fiction, propaganda, and blogging. We test the reliability of our interpretation for and with optimal treatment results. Practitioners and scientists attempt an independent stance from their research through double-blind studies to reduce bias (evidence-based research). However, a tincture of common sense must always accompany any computer model or choice of statistics (ie, clinical significance vs statistical significance). Credibility demands accuracy (truth), reduction of bias, and clinical success as its sources. The Journal ‘s purpose remains, while its methods evolve.

A synopsis of my perceptions of significant contributions of past and present editors-in-chief may enlighten this evolutionary process. Each one presents a unique essence to the advancement of the AJO-DO .

Martin Dewey

Martin Dewey

One hundred years ago, Martin Dewey’s selection as editor-in-chief established the launching of the International Journal of Orthodontia in 1915 by the C. V. Mosby Publishing Company. Dr Dewey practiced, taught, and published orthodontics with vigor, a critical eye, and a determination found in his association with Edward H. Angle. Few equaled his masterful debating or parliamentary ability. Dewey’s prolific pen served the Journal for 17 years. During lean times, with financial aid from Dr C. V. Mosby, Dr Dewey, with DDS and MD degrees, often wrote several articles himself to fill the Journal . Even nomenclature changed with the stroke of his pen. Often, he incorporated a discussion section at the end of an article to stimulate responses from others. Martin also arranged a mutually advantageous union between the Journal and the American Society of Orthodontists. He championed a balance between science and technical ability, biology, and mechanics to discover the truth. “Science,” he remarked, “knows no friendship.”