Dental Therapy Programs
There are 5 CODA-accredited dental therapy programs in the United States, in 5 states: Alaska, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.
Every one is listed below with its institution, city, state, current accreditation status, and the years of CODA's last and next accreditation visits, pulled directly from the Commission on Dental Accreditation's own program directory.
Read on for what the statuses mean, how CODA classifies dental therapy education, and what comes after a program.
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At a glance
Nationwide
Programs
5
With a program
States
5
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
3 of 5
Every CODA-Accredited Program in the United States
Source: CODA program directory, index dated 2026-09-09. CODA classes these as allied dental education programs; status terms (“Approval without Reporting Requirements,” “Approval with Reporting Requirements,” “Initial Accreditation,” etc.) are CODA’s own.
Reading the List: What the Accreditation Statuses Mean
Every status shown above is CODA's own term, not this site's. "Approval (without Reporting Requirements)" is the classification CODA grants when a program "achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation." "Initial Accreditation" is "the accreditation classification granted to any dental, advanced dental or allied dental education program which is not yet fully operational" — a program is not fully operational until it has enrolled and graduated at least one class of students.
The last- and next-visit years listed are CODA's own accreditation-visit schedule, not anything set by the program.
For admissions requirements or program structure, contact the program directly.
What CODA Accredits Here
CODA classifies dental therapy programs as Allied Dental Education Programs — the same broad category as dental hygiene and dental assisting programs, not an advanced or residency program and not one of the recognized dental specialties.
CODA's own accreditation standards for dental therapy require that "the curriculum must include at least three academic years of full-time instruction or its equivalent at the postsecondary college-level," which CODA describes as "the minimum preparation for a dental therapist." Our guide to the hygienist-to-dental-therapist path covers how that education requirement fits into the wider career route, and the dental hygienist career guide covers the related, more widely licensed profession.
After a Dental Therapy Program
Completing a CODA-accredited program is an education credential, not a license to practice.
Dental therapy is authorized in only some states, and what any state requires — including whether it licenses dental therapists at all — is set by that state, not by CODA or by this site.
Our dental hygienist-to-dental-therapist path guide and our step-by-step guide to becoming a dental hygienist cover the surrounding career paths in more depth.
When you are ready to look at what's hiring, search current dental hygienist jobs nationwide.
Where the Programs Are
The 5 programs are spread one to a state, with no state hosting more than one: Alaska, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin each have a single CODA-accredited dental therapy program.
Sponsors range from a tribal college to public universities and technical colleges, and the Institution column names each one, with the website links going to the sponsor's own page, which is where admissions details live.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited dental therapy programs are there?
There are 5 CODA-accredited dental therapy programs in the United States, one each in Alaska, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.
Each is listed above with its institution, city, state and current CODA accreditation status.
CODA's own directory is the definitive, up-to-date source — confirm a program's status directly with CODA before applying.
Is dental therapy a recognized dental specialty?
No. CODA classifies dental therapy programs as Allied Dental Education Programs, the same broad category as dental hygiene and dental assisting, not as one of the advanced dental education programs behind the recognized specialties.
It is also not a residency.
What does "Initial Accreditation" mean for a program on this list?
It's CODA's classification for a program that "is not yet fully operational" — meaning it has not yet enrolled and graduated its first class of students.
It is not a warning about program quality; it is simply where a newer program sits before CODA can evaluate a completed cohort.
Two programs on this list currently carry that status.
Do I have to complete the program in the state where I want to practice?
No. CODA accreditation is national, so a program completed in any of the 5 states carries the same accreditation standing everywhere.
Whether a state licenses dental therapists at all, and what it requires, is set by that state — see our dental hygienist-to-dental-therapist path guide for that state-by-state nuance, and confirm current rules with the state's dental board before you plan around a program.
Is every program on this list accredited?
Every program above is shown with the CODA accreditation status CODA had published for it as of 2026-09-09, the date this directory was last pulled from CODA's own program search. "Approval without Reporting Requirements" is CODA's standard fully-accredited standing; other status terms on this page — such as "Approval with Reporting Requirements," "Initial Accreditation," "Withdrawn," or a "teach-out" qualifier — mean something different, and a status can change after that date.
Confirm a program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
More Dental Hygienist Resources
Sourced from the CODA program directory (index dated 2026-09-09). Verified September 2026. Program details change. Confirm accreditation status, admission requirements and costs with the program and with CODA before applying.