March 2015

Editorial Open Access to research findings and Community Dental Health M. Smith and C. O’Dell For the public good across an increasing fraction of the world, many of the larger bodies funding research demand public access to the published peer-reviewed findings arising from that research. Progress is being made in meeting those demands in recognition of the likely benefits and, undoubtedly, as he who pays the piper calls the tune, this might affect existing arrangements for disseminating research findings through independent academic journals, such as Community Dental Health More than a decade ago a diverse coalition called the Open Access Movement applied pressure to have research findings made freely available to all with internet access. They asserted that unrestricted, free access to scholarly research would advance sciences, medicine and health. Their efforts culminated in the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) of 2002. Much has been achieved since then and their original recommendations have been revised and are now termed BOAI 10.