Orthodontic Residency Programs in Louisiana
Louisiana has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, based in New Orleans.
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 orthodontics residency is the recognized path into the specialty — read on for what the program's status means and what happens after residency.
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At a glance
In Louisiana
Programs
1
With a program
Cities
1
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
1 of 1
Every CODA-Accredited Program in Louisiana
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 Louisiana'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, 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 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 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.
Louisiana has one accredited program, compared with 5 in Texas, none in Arkansas and none in Mississippi 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 Louisiana State University Health Science Center - New Orleans program in New Orleans who go on to practice in Louisiana need a dentist license from the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry — see Louisiana's dentist licensure requirements for the clinical exams it accepts and the rest of what it requires.
After Residency in Louisiana
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.
Check whether Louisiana also requires a separate specialty license with the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry.
Residents who train in New Orleans and go on to practice in Louisiana can check the national 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, located in New Orleans.
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 orthodontics residency outside Louisiana 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 Louisiana is holding an active Louisiana dentist license, not where your residency was located.
See our Louisiana dentist licensure page for what the state itself requires.
What does "Approval without Reporting Requirements" mean for Louisiana's program?
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.
Check whether Louisiana also requires a separate specialty license with the Louisiana State 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 Louisiana & 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.