ISAD
Schedule 2026 – 2027
A structured writing calendar and policy framework for article production, accountability, authorship, and academic standards across the association.
Term 01
Fall term
| Week | Date range | Topic | Deadline | Article |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sep 10–16 | OMFS | A1 First Draft | Article 1 [A1] |
| Week 2 | Sep 17–23 | A1 Final Draft | ||
| Week 3 | Sep 24–30 | Orthodontics | A2 First Draft | Article 2 [A2] |
| Week 4 | Oct 1–7 | A2 Final Draft | ||
| Week 5 | Oct 8–14 | Periodontics | A3 First Draft | Article 3 [A3] |
| Week 6 | Oct 15–21 | A3 Final Draft | ||
| Week 7 | Oct 26–Nov 1 | Oral Pathology | A4 First Draft | Article 4 [A4] |
| Week 8 | Nov 5–11 | A4 Final Draft | ||
| Week 9 | Nov 12–18 | Conservative Dentistry | A5 First Draft | Article 5 [A5] |
| Week 10 | Nov 19–25 | A5 Final Draft | ||
| Week 11 | Nov 26–Dec 1 | N/A | Break | N/A |
Term 02
Winter / Spring term
| Week | Date range | Topic | Deadline | Article |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Jan 14–20 | Orthodontics | A1 First Draft | Article 1 [A1] |
| Week 2 | Jan 21–27 | A1 Final Draft | ||
| Week 3 | Jan 28–Feb 3 | Endodontics | A2 First Draft | Article 2 [A2] |
| Week 4 | Feb 4–10 | A2 Final Draft | ||
| Week 5 | Feb 11–17 | N/A | Break | N/A |
| Week 6 | Feb 18–24 | OMFS | A3 First Draft | Article 3 [A3] |
| Week 7 | Feb 25–Mar 3 | A3 Final Draft | ||
| Week 8 | Mar 4–10 | Conservative Dentistry | A4 First Draft | Article 4 [A4] |
| Week 9 | Mar 11–17 | A4 Final Draft | ||
| Week 10 | Mar 18–24 | N/A | Break | N/A |
| Week 11 | Mar 25–31 | Oral Pathology | A5 First Draft | Article 5 [A5] |
| Week 12 | Apr 1–7 | A5 Final Draft |
01
General overview
The International Student Association of Dentistry, ISAD, is an entirely student-led academic association dedicated to the production of high quality dental-related research manuscripts.
ISAD operates independently and is not affiliated with or governed as a traditional school club. Instead, it functions as a structured academic body in which students collaborate across institutions to produce publishable scientific work.
The association focuses primarily on topics within dentistry and oral health, including oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, oral pathology, and conservative dentistry.
All writing is conducted with the expectation that manuscripts will meet the standards required for submission to peer-reviewed journals. ISAD is built upon a model of accountability, consistency, and academic rigor.
Members are expected to function as contributors within a professional research environment rather than as participants in an extracurricular activity. Participation in ISAD signifies acceptance of these expectations and a willingness to operate under a structured and performance-driven system.
02
Strike policy and enforcement
All members are subject to a performance-based strike system designed to maintain accountability and uphold the standards of the association. Each member may receive a maximum of two strikes within a given writing period. Upon receiving a second strike, the member will be removed from ISAD immediately and without exception.
- Failure to attend a mandatory team meeting without prior notice and valid justification
- Failure to meet any assigned deadline, including both first draft and final draft
- Submission of work that lacks originality, including direct copying from generative AI without proper intellectual processing
- Demonstrated procrastination or lack of progress that disrupts workflow
Additional strikes may be issued at the discretion of leadership if a member’s actions compromise the quality of the manuscript or the efficiency of the team. Deadlines and meetings are treated as formal academic obligations.
03
Article production timeline
Each article is completed within a fixed two-week writing cycle designed to reflect the pace and structure of collaborative academic research environments.
Topic selection and immediate commencement of writing
First draft submission
Final draft submission
New article begins
There are no gaps between article cycles. Extensions are not granted, as delays affect the entire team and disrupt the continuity of the association’s workflow.
04
Break policy and scheduling constraints
Break periods are determined exclusively by the academic calendars of the University of Toronto and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. When either institution is on break, all members of ISAD will pause writing activities in order to maintain uniform pacing across the association.
- Breaks are limited to a maximum duration of one week
- Breaks may only occur between article cycles
- Breaks are strictly prohibited between the first draft and final draft of any article
If a break coincides with an ongoing article cycle, the schedule will be adjusted so that the break occurs only after the completion of the final draft. Improper break management resulting in incomplete submissions will be treated as a missed deadline and will result in a strike.
05
Draft standards and expectations
First draft
The first draft must represent a complete and fully written version of the assigned section. It must be presented in full sentences with clear structure and logical progression.
- Bullet point summaries in place of written content
- Incomplete arguments or placeholder text
- Sections labeled for future completion
A first draft that does not meet these standards may be treated as a failure to submit.
Final draft
The final draft must be publication-ready and fully incorporate all feedback provided by editors or leadership.
- Be free of grammatical and typographical errors
- Maintain consistent formatting throughout
- Demonstrate clarity, coherence, and academic rigor
The transition from first draft to final draft should reflect meaningful revision and improvement.
06
Authorship structure and criteria
Corresponding author (#)
Responsible for overall conceptualization and direction of the manuscript, including research topic definition, outline structure, writing oversight, submission, and journal communication.
First author (*)
The primary contributor, responsible for the majority of substantive work including data extraction, figure and table creation, and leading results and discussion.
Co-author
Contributes in a limited capacity, typically through minor writing or editing tasks that do not significantly influence the analytical direction or conclusions of the manuscript.
Authorship is determined based on the following:
- Consistency in meeting deadlines
- Quality and depth of contribution
- Participation in meetings and discussions
- Initiative in advancing the manuscript
Failure to meet expectations may result in reassignment or removal from authorship.
07
Section-specific requirements
08
Meeting expectations and participation
Team meetings are held every other Thursday and are mandatory. These meetings serve as checkpoints for progress, facilitate feedback, and determine subsequent writing directions.
- A strike
- Loss of authorship opportunity
- Reassignment of roles
Members are expected to actively participate and contribute to discussions.
09
Performance standards and final statement
All members are expected to maintain consistent engagement, adhere strictly to deadlines, and contribute meaningfully to the writing process. ISAD operates under standards that reflect professional academic environments, and all work is evaluated accordingly.
Failure to comply with expectations regarding deadlines, attendance, or writing quality will result in immediate disciplinary action through the strike system. Accumulation of two strikes will lead to removal from ISAD without exception.
ISAD is structured to produce high-level academic work while developing disciplined and capable contributors. Members are expected to approach their responsibilities with professionalism, consistency, and accountability.