Orthodontic Residency Programs in Kentucky
Kentucky has 2 CODA-accredited advanced dental education programs in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, based in Lexington and Louisville.
Each is 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 orthodontics residency is the recognized path into the specialty — read on for what each program's status means and what happens after residency.
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At a glance
In Kentucky
Programs
2
With a program
Cities
2
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
2 of 2
Every CODA-Accredited Program in Kentucky
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 Kentucky's Accreditation Statuses Mean
The statuses shown above are CODA's own terms, 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 the program must correct within a set timeframe, and "Initial Accreditation" is what CODA grants a program that is accredited but hasn't 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 either 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 and dentofacial orthopedics 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.
Kentucky has 2 accredited programs, compared with 1 in Indiana, 2 in Illinois and 2 in Ohio 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 Kentucky College of Dentistry and University of Louisville School of Dentistry programs who go on to practice in Kentucky need a dentist license from the Kentucky Board of Dentistry — see Kentucky's dentist licensure requirements for the clinical exams it accepts and the rest of what it requires.
After Residency in Kentucky
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.
Kentucky also issues a separate specialty license, which requires an active Kentucky general dentistry license first; check its requirements with the Kentucky Board of Dentistry.
Residents who train in Lexington or Louisville and go on to practice in Kentucky can check the national orthodontist salary guide for pay context and search current orthodontist jobs to see who's hiring now.
Where Kentucky's Programs Are Located
Kentucky's two programs sit in its two largest cities: the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry in Lexington and the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in Louisville.
Both cities are home to full dental schools, so an orthodontics residency there sits alongside an established predoctoral program rather than standing alone.
Program specifics — faculty, clinical facilities, and how each structures its residency — are best confirmed directly with the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited orthodontic residency programs are in Kentucky?
Kentucky has 2 CODA-accredited advanced dental education programs in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, located in Lexington and Louisville.
Each is listed above with its institution, city 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.
Does an orthodontics residency outside Kentucky still count if I want to practice there?
Yes.
CODA accreditation is a national standard, not a state one, so a residency completed anywhere in the country carries the same standing.
What determines whether you can practice in Kentucky is holding an active Kentucky dentist license, not where your residency was located.
See our Kentucky dentist licensure page for what the state itself requires.
What does "Approval without Reporting Requirements" mean for Kentucky's programs?
It's the classification CODA grants when a program "achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation," per CODA's own accreditation-status definitions.
It doesn't rank a program against others — CODA doesn't publish comparative rankings — it simply confirms the program currently meets CODA's standards without an outstanding compliance issue.
What comes after finishing a CODA-accredited orthodontic residency?
Graduates hold an active dentist license in the state where they intend to practice.
Kentucky also issues a separate specialty license, which requires an active Kentucky general dentistry license first; check its requirements with the Kentucky Board of Dentistry.
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 Kentucky & 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.