Pediatric Dentistry Residency Programs in District of Columbia
The District of Columbia has 2 CODA-accredited advanced dental education programs in pediatric dentistry, both based in Washington.
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 pediatric dentistry 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 District of Columbia
Programs
2
With a program
Cities
1
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
2 of 2
Every CODA-Accredited Program in District of Columbia
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 the District of Columbia's Accreditation Status Means
The status shown above for both District of Columbia programs 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." Elsewhere in CODA's directory, "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 the program — and "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 each program directly, and confirm current status with CODA before applying.
Why Accreditation Matters for the Path Into Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentistry is one of 12 recognized dental specialties, and completing a CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in the specialty is how a dentist becomes a pediatric dentist.
The District of Columbia has 2 accredited programs, compared with 1 in Maryland and 3 in Virginia nearby; wherever you train, our step-by-step guide to becoming a pediatric dentist covers the full sequence from dental school through residency, our pediatric dentist career guide what the role involves day to day, and which dental specialty pays the most how pediatric dentistry compares with the other eleven.
Every pediatric dentist needs a dentist license; check whether the District of Columbia also requires a separate specialty license with the DC Board of Dentistry.
The District of Columbia doesn't yet have its own dedicated dentist licensure guide on this site — see our dentist licensure overview for how boards generally evaluate a CODA-accredited residency, and confirm the District's own exam and application requirements directly with its licensing board.
After Residency in the District of Columbia
A CODA-accredited residency is the entry point into pediatric dentistry, not the final step — practicing afterward still requires holding an active dentist license in the jurisdiction where you intend to work.
Check whether the District of Columbia also requires a separate specialty license with the DC Board of Dentistry.
Residents who train in Washington and go on to practice in the District of Columbia can search current pediatric dentist jobs to see who's hiring now.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited pediatric dentistry residency programs are in the District of Columbia?
The District of Columbia has 2 CODA-accredited advanced dental education programs in pediatric dentistry, both located in Washington.
They're listed above with their current CODA accreditation status, address and program director.
CODA's own directory is the definitive, up-to-date source — confirm a program's status directly with CODA before applying.
Does a pediatric dentistry residency outside the District of Columbia still count if I want to practice there?
Yes.
CODA accreditation is a national standard, not a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction one, so a CODA-accredited pediatric dentistry residency completed anywhere in the country counts the same way.
What determines whether you can practice in the District afterward is its own dentist licensing board's requirements, not where you trained.
What does "Approval (without Reporting Requirements)" mean for a program?
It's the classification CODA grants when a program "achieves or exceeds the basic requirements for accreditation," in CODA's own words.
It doesn't rank the program against others — it simply means CODA identified no outstanding deficiencies at its last review.
Confirm a program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
What comes after finishing a CODA-accredited pediatric dentistry residency?
Graduates hold an active dentist license in the jurisdiction where they intend to practice.
Check whether the District of Columbia also requires a separate specialty license with the DC Board of Dentistry.
Our step-by-step guide to becoming a pediatric dentist 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 District of Columbia & Pediatric Dentist 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.