Orthodontic Residency Programs in South Carolina
South Carolina has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in orthodontics, based in Charleston.
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 South Carolina
Programs
1
With a program
Cities
1
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
1 of 1
Every CODA-Accredited Program in South Carolina
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 South Carolina'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." That's different from "Approval (with Reporting Requirements)," which means CODA has identified specific deficiencies a program must correct within a set timeframe, and from "Initial Accreditation," which CODA grants to 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.
South Carolina has one accredited program, compared with 1 in North Carolina and 2 in Georgia 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 Medical University of South Carolina James B.
Edwards College of Dental Medicine program in Charleston who go on to practice in South Carolina need a dentist license from the South Carolina Board of Dentistry — see South Carolina's dentist licensure requirements for the clinical exams it accepts and the rest of what it requires.
After Residency in South Carolina
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.
South Carolina also issues a separate specialty license, and a dentist must hold it before advertising or holding out as a specialist; check its requirements with the South Carolina Board of Dentistry.
Residents who train in Charleston and go on to practice in South Carolina can check orthodontist salary in South Carolina for state-level pay data and search current orthodontist jobs to see who's hiring now.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited orthodontics residency programs are in South Carolina?
South Carolina has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in orthodontics, located in Charleston.
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.
What does "Approval without Reporting Requirements" mean for a program?
"Approval (without Reporting Requirements)" is the classification CODA grants when a program "achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation." It's the status CODA gives programs with no outstanding deficiencies to correct.
Confirm a program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
Do I have to complete an orthodontics residency in South Carolina to practice as an orthodontist there?
No. South Carolina licenses dentists — including orthodontists — who completed a CODA-accredited residency regardless of which state it's located in; what matters is the residency's CODA accreditation, not its location.
See our South Carolina dentist licensure page for what the state itself requires before you can practice.
What comes after finishing a CODA-accredited orthodontics residency?
Graduates hold an active dentist license in the state where they intend to practice.
South Carolina also issues a separate specialty license, and a dentist must hold it before advertising or holding out as a specialist; check its requirements with the South Carolina 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 South Carolina & 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.