The ADA News and JADA are locked in a virtual tie for best-read publication in dentistry, and both are well ahead of their nearest competition, an independent survey on dental publications shows.
Using a formula to determine average readership percentages for major dental publications, PERQ/HCI Corp. calculated 2005 readership scores of 71 percent for both The Journal of the American Dental Association and the ADA News.
That score places ADA publications a full 8 percentage points ahead of their closest competitor among 15 dental publications ranked in this year’s PERQ/HCI FOCUS study. The New Jersey-based corporation is an independent research firm that studies the health care publishing industry.
The 2005 FOCUS survey was mailed to a sample of 1,000 U.S. dentists randomly selected from the ADA’s lists of members and nonmembers, general dentists and specialists in active private practice. Dentists were asked about their reading habits (cover to cover, read articles of interest, skim, review table of contents and choose articles of interest).
Other selected findings from the FOCUS survey:
- – dentists in practice for 15 years or less rated JADA at 66 percent, giving it a slight edge over the ADA News at 65 percent, though both publications surpassed their competition;
- – dentists in practice for 15 years or more rated ADA News as best read at 75 percent, with JADA a close second at 73 percent;
- – more dentists save JADA for future reference than any other dental publication.
On another front, the Journal of the American Dental Association garnered three awards for excellence in publishing in the Society of National Association Publication’s annual awards competition.
JADA won silver EXCEL awards in the design excellence and cover illustration (March 2004) categories, as well as a bronze award for general excellence among scholarly journals, the organization, better known as SNAP, announced last month.
"We are delighted that SNAP has continued to recognize our publications," said Laura A. Kosden, publisher and associate executive director, ADA Publishing Division. "This visibility enhances their value and our ongoing efforts to meet the needs of our readers."
JADA was among some 1,130 entries in SNAP’s 2004 awards competition. SNAP is a nonprofit professional society serving association publishers and communications professionals nationwide.
"Congratulations on your fine work and exemplary product," wrote Marilee Peterson, SNAP executive director. "Your efforts have truly identified [the] American Dental Association Publishing Division as a leader in the field."
