The importance of peer review.

Recently I joined an organization called the World Association of Dental Editors (WAME). I found out about WAME from a medical colleague of mine who has a great deal of editorial experience. I had never heard of it before so I quickly visited their Web site at www.wame.org. WAME is free and open to all editors of peer-reviewed medical journals. As of May 2006, they have more than 1409 members representing 890 journals from 90 countries. I completed the paperwork, sent it in and now JDH is part of a prestigious list of medical and a few dental journals. WAME is an organization that was established in 1995 to do several things. First, the organization seeks to facilitate worldwide cooperation and communication among editors of peer-reviewed medical journals. Another goal is to improve editorial standards, to promote "professionalism in medical editing through education, self criticism and self regulation."