CODA Suspends Diversity Standards
On August 8, 2025, during Open Session, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) reviewed a memorandum released by the Office of the Attorney General of the United States of America dated July 29, 2025.
In response to the memorandum, CODA directed that the Accreditation Standards for all disciplines related to diversity of faculty, staff, and students be suspended indefinitely. These Standards, available at LINK , are the following: Predoctoral Dental Education Standards 1-4 and 4-4; Dental Therapy Standards 1-4 and 4-2; and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Standard 1-11.
CODA further directed the amendment of the intent statements and examples of evidence of the following Standards related to diversity of faculty, staff, and students, available at LINK ,: Predoctoral Dental Standard 1-3; Dental Hygiene Standard 1-2; Dental Therapy Standard 1-3; and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Standard 2-1.7. Note that these Standards’ “must” statements remain in effect.
CODA further directed that, during the period of suspension, CODA will take no action in whole or in part based on any suspended Standard, or portion thereof, including but not limited to review during a program’s site visit, consideration of complaints, and revision of Standards.
Additionally, the Commission directed that a communication be issued to educational programs and site visitors to inform these communities of the suspensions described above. This communication will also be posted on CODA’s website.
CODA further directed that a program's self-study and the site visit report may include the following statement for each standard that has been suspended: “On August 8, 2025, the Commission on Dental Accreditation directed that Accreditation Standards related to diversity of faculty, staff, and students be suspended indefinitely”.
If a program previously submitted a self-study in connection with an upcoming site visit and wishes to amend such materials in response to this CODA action, the program may do so, but resubmission is not required. Programs are asked to contact the appropriate CODA staff if they wish to resubmit the self-study, and will also be referred to the paragraph above regarding language that may be added to self-studies and site visit reports as applicable.
Please contact the appropriate CODA staff with any questions or comments. Visit the Staff Directory for contact information.
View Impacted Standards (PDF)
CODA Publishes Survey Data on Dental Assisting Program Closures and Discontinuance of Accreditation
At its January 31, 2025 meeting, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) reviewed the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Dental Assisting Program Closures and Discontinuance of Accreditation. The Commission directed the survey results collected from dental assisting programs, and state dental associations and dental boards on dental assisting program closures, be circulated to CODA’s communities of interest for informational purposes. The report and survey data are available below.
View the Ad Hoc Committee Report and Survey Data (PDF)
