Becoming a pediatric dentist means first becoming a dentist, then completing a pediatric dentistry residency accredited by CODA — a floor of at least 24 months — and, usually, earning board certification from the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD).
Pediatric dentistry has higher job volume and demand than most specialties, which makes it one of the more accessible specialty markets to enter.
Here's the path.
The short answer
You become a dentist first, then complete a pediatric dentistry residency accredited by CODA — a floor of at least 24 months — and typically pursue ABPD board certification.
The residency adds the child-specific training general dentists don't get: behavior guidance, sedation, growth and development, and special-needs care.
See what the residency itself requires for the CODA specifics.
For how specialty training works in general — CODA accreditation, the match, and boards — see dental residency & board certification.
The step-by-step path
Four steps take you from dental student to pediatric specialist:
Earn a bachelor's degree with prerequisites
Complete undergrad with the required science coursework and a competitive GPA — the foundation for dental school and, later, residency.Complete dental school (DDS or DMD)
Four years of dental school earns a DDS or DMD. As with any specialty, strong grades, board scores, and clinical experience strengthen a residency application.Match into a pediatric dentistry residency (CODA floor: 24 months)
Apply to an accredited pediatric dentistry program through the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program. CODA's accreditation standard sets a floor of at least 24 months of full-time training, centered on behavior management, sedation, growth and development, and caring for children with special needs.Earn ABPD board certification
After residency, most pediatric dentists certify through the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry — voluntary, but a recognized mark of expertise that employers and parents value. See how ABPD certification works for the exam structure and the seven-year window to finish it.
What it takes — and what it pays
Pediatric dentistry offers a shorter specialty path than surgery or orthodontics and strong demand, particularly from group and DSO practices.
Pay is best read as directional — the role falls under the broad BLS "Dentists, all other specialists" category (median around $224,990, SOC 29-1029), and aggregator estimates for pediatric dentists vary widely.
For the full role, see what a pediatric dentist does.
This article is general career information; pay figures are directional and vary by source, ownership, and location.