Orthodontic Residency Programs in Iowa
Iowa has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in orthodontics, based at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City.
It's listed below with its institution, city, 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.
Completing a CODA-accredited orthodontic residency is the recognized path into the orthodontic specialty — read on for what the program's status means and what happens afterward.
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At a glance
In Iowa
Programs
1
With a program
Cities
1
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
1 of 1
Every CODA-Accredited Program in Iowa
Source: CODA program directory, index dated 2026-09-09. Status terms (“Approval without Reporting Requirements,” “Approval with Reporting Requirements,” “Initial Accreditation,” “Discontinued,” etc.) are CODA’s own.
Reading the List: What Iowa's Accreditation Status Means
The 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." By contrast, "Approval (with Reporting Requirements)" means CODA has identified specific deficiencies a program must correct within a set timeframe — a status mid-correction, not a warning to avoid a program. "Initial Accreditation" is what CODA grants a program that is accredited but has not yet enrolled and graduated its first class of residents.
The last- and next-visit years shown are CODA's own accreditation-visit schedule, not anything set by the program itself.
For admissions requirements, program structure, or cost, contact the program directly, and confirm its current status with CODA before applying.
Why Accreditation Matters for the Path Into Orthodontics
Orthodontics is one of 12 recognized dental specialties, and completing a CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in the specialty is how a dentist becomes an orthodontist.
Iowa has one accredited program, compared with 2 in Minnesota, 2 in Illinois and none in South Dakota nearby; wherever you train, our step-by-step guide to becoming an orthodontist covers the full sequence from dental school through residency, our orthodontist career guide what the role involves day to day, and which dental specialty pays the most how orthodontics compares with the other eleven.
Graduates of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry program in Iowa City who go on to practice in Iowa need a dentist license from the Iowa Dental Board — see Iowa's dentist licensure requirements for the clinical exams it accepts and the rest of what it requires.
After Residency in Iowa
A CODA-accredited residency is the entry point into orthodontics, not the final step — practicing afterward still requires holding an active dentist license in the state where you intend to work; in Iowa, orthodontics is practiced under a dentist license rather than a separate specialty license.
Residents who train in Iowa City at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and go on to practice in Iowa rather than nearby Minnesota or Illinois can check the orthodontist salary guide for pay context and search current orthodontist jobs to see who's hiring now.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited orthodontic residency programs are in Iowa?
Iowa has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in orthodontics, based at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City.
It's listed above with its institution, city and current CODA accreditation status.
CODA's own directory is the definitive, up-to-date source — confirm the program's status directly with CODA before applying.
Does an out-of-state orthodontic residency count toward practicing in Iowa?
Yes.
CODA accreditation is national, so a residency completed anywhere in the country counts equally — what matters is the program's CODA accreditation, not its location.
Iowa licenses dentists, including orthodontists, based on that accreditation plus the state's own licensure requirements, not on where the residency was located.
What does "Approval without Reporting Requirements" mean for a program?
It's CODA's classification for a program that "achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation," with no outstanding deficiencies CODA has flagged for correction.
It doesn't rank the program against others — CODA does not rate or rank accredited programs.
Confirm a program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
What comes after finishing a CODA-accredited orthodontic residency?
Graduates hold an active dentist license in the state where they intend to practice; in Iowa, orthodontists practice under that dentist license rather than a separate specialty license.
Our step-by-step guide to becoming an orthodontist walks through the full sequence from dental school through residency and licensure.
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," or "Discontinued" — mean something different, and a status can change after that date.
Confirm a program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
More Iowa & Orthodontist 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.