Accreditation Standards

The Commission on Dental Accreditation develops and implements accreditation standards that promote and monitor the continuous quality and improvement of dental education programs. These accreditation standards are copyrighted, but they may be downloaded for educational use. Reproduction of Commission documents is permitted by permission only. Please review the Commission’s Policy on Reprints.

Continue reading to view current, revised and proposed accreditation standards relevant to dental education programs.

After CODA meetings, CODA will circulate proposed revisions to various standards to CODA’s communities of interest for comment. Find information on current proposed standards and CODA’s upcoming hearing on the Hearings on Standards/Comments Due page.

Proposed Accreditation Standards for Dental Education Programs
The Predoctoral Ad Hoc Committee conducted several meetings in 2025 and will continue its work in spring 2026 to consider all received comments related to the proposed revisions, with a future report to the Review Committee and the Commission. See proposed revisions. 

Adopted at the Winter 2026 CODA Meeting

July 1, 2026 Implementation Date

Accreditation Standards for Advanced Dental Education Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Redlined Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Standards (PDF)
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Accreditation Standards (PDF)

Accreditation Standards for Clinical Fellowship Training Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Redlined Clinical Fellowship Training Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Standards (PDF)
• Clinical Fellowship Training Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Accreditation Standards (PDF)

Accreditation Standards for Advanced Dental Education Programs in Periodontics

• Redlined Periodontics Standards (PDF)
• Periodontics Standards (PDF)

January 1, 2027 Implementation Date

Accreditation Standards for Accreditation Standards for Clinical Fellowship Training Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – Trigeminal Nerve Surgery 

• Redlined Clinical Fellowship Training Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – Trigeminal Nerve Surgery  Standards (PDF)
• Clinical Fellowship Training Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – Trigeminal Nerve Surgery Accreditation Standards (PDF)

July 1, 2027 Implementation Date

Accreditation Standards for Advanced Dental Education Programs in Pediatric Dentistry 

• Redlined Pediatric Dentistry Standards (PDF)
• Pediatric Dentistry Standards (PDF)

Adopted at the Summer 2025 CODA Meeting

At the Summer 2025 meeting, CODA revised various Accreditation Standards.

CODA suspended indefinitely Predoctoral Dental Education Standard 1-4 and 4-4, and adopted an amendment of the intent statement and examples of evidence of Predoctoral Dental Education Standard 1-3 related to diversity of faculty, staff, and students. Note the amended Standards’ “must” statements remain in effect.

• Redlined Predoctoral Dental Education Standards (PDF)
• Predoctoral Accreditation Standards (PDF)

CODA adopted an amendment of the intent statements and examples of evidence of Dental Hygiene Standard 1-2 related to diversity of faculty, staff, and students. Note that these Standards’ “must” statements remain in effect. CODA also adopted a revision to Standard 3-6c, related to faculty credentials, of the Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs, with immediate implementation.

• Redlined Dental Hygiene Standard (PDF)
• Dental Hygiene Standards (PDF)

CODA suspended indefinitely Dental Therapy Standard 1-4 and 4-2, and adopted an amendment of the intent statement and examples of evidence of Dental Therapy Standard 1-3 related to diversity of faculty, staff, and students. Note the amended Standards’ “must” statements remain in effect.

• Redlined Dental Therapy Education Standards (PDF)
• Dental Therapy Accreditation Standards (PDF)

CODA suspended indefinitely Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Residency) Standard 1-11 and adopted an amendment of the intent statement and examples of evidence of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Residency) Standard 2-1.7, related to diversity of faculty, staff, and students. Note that these Standards’ “must” statements remain in effect.

• Redlined Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Accreditation Standards (PDF)
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Accreditation Standards  (PDF)