Pediatric Dentistry Residency Programs in Iowa
Iowa has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in pediatric dentistry, based in Iowa City.
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 program like this one is the recognized path into the pediatric dentistry specialty — read on for what the program's status means and what happens after residency.
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At a glance
In Iowa
Programs
1
With a program
Cities
1
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
1 of 1
Every CODA-Accredited Program in Iowa
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 Iowa'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." "Approval (with Reporting Requirements)" means CODA has identified specific deficiencies the program must correct within a set timeframe — it is not a warning to avoid a program, only a status mid-correction. "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 the program directly, and confirm the program's 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.
Iowa has one accredited program, compared with 2 in Minnesota, 2 in Illinois and none in South Dakota 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.
Graduates of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry program in Iowa City who go on to practice in Iowa need a dentist license from the Iowa Dental Board — see Iowa's dentist licensure requirements for the clinical exams it accepts and the rest of what it requires.
After Residency in Iowa
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 state where you intend to work; in Iowa, pediatric dentistry is practiced under a dentist license rather than a separate specialty license.
Residents who train in Iowa City at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and go on to practice in Iowa rather than nearby Minnesota or Illinois 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 Iowa?
Iowa has 1 CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in pediatric dentistry, located at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City.
It's listed above with its current CODA accreditation status, address and program director.
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." Iowa's pediatric dentistry program currently carries this status.
It is CODA's own accreditation term, not a ranking — confirm the program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
Do I have to complete a pediatric dentistry residency in Iowa to practice there?
No. Iowa licenses dentists — including pediatric dentists — 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 Iowa dentist licensure page for what the state itself requires before you can practice.
What comes after finishing a CODA-accredited pediatric dentistry residency?
Graduates hold an active dentist license in the state where they intend to practice; in Iowa, pediatric dentists practice under that dentist license rather than a separate specialty license.
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 Iowa & 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.