Commission on Dental Accreditation – Allied Dental Education Programs
The Pierce BASDH program is accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Our most recent site visit was conducted in May 2017 and we are proud to state that we have “Full Accreditation Without Reporting” until our next self-study site visit scheduled for July 10 and 11, 2025.
The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) formally evaluates accredited programs at regular intervals. The complete standards can be found on the CODA Standards website. Comprehensive site visits based on a self-study are routinely conducted every seven years. The United States Department of Education (USDE) procedures require accrediting agencies to provide an opportunity for third-party comment, with respect to institutions or programs scheduled for review.
A complaint is defined by the Commission as one alleging that a Commission-accredited educational program, a program which has an application for initial accreditation pending, or the Commission may not be in substantial compliance with Commission standards or required accreditation procedures.
The Commission will review complaints that relate to a Commission-accredited education program's compliance with the accreditation standards. The Commission is interested in the sustained quality and continued improvement of dental and dental-related education programs, but does not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal for treatment received by patients or individuals in matters of admission, appointment, promotion or dismissal of faculty, staff or students. A copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or the Commission's policy and procedure for submission of complaints may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 1-312-440-4653.
The Commission strongly encourages attempts at informal or formal resolution through the program's or sponsoring institution's internal processes prior to initiating a formal complaint with the Commission.
Notice of Licensure Eligibility Outside of WA State
We are required by federal regulation 34 CFR § 668.43(a)(5)(v) and 34 CFR § 668.43(c) to let you know that Pierce College’s Dental Hygiene program meets the educational requirements for dental hygiene licensure required for employment in Washington State.
Pierce College has not determined if the dental hygiene curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure in any other state within the United States. However the dental hygiene program is fully accredited through the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), and the college is fully accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Accreditation. Accreditation by CODA indicates the graduate is prepared to pass didactic and clinical dental hygiene licensing exams, but does not guarantee that a state will accept the curriculum for licensure. It is up to the applicant to determine if graduation from the Pierce College Dental Hygiene meets their state’s licensure requirements. Additional information about licensure/certification concerns can be found on the NC-SARA webpage.
If you plan to become licensed in another state other than Washington, please contact that state’s dental hygiene licensing department to enquire if a dental hygiene graduate from our program would be eligible for licensure/certification in their state. For your convenience, here is a link to assist you: Career One Stop Licensing Requirements Dental Hygiene
If you have further questions or need additional assistance, please contact eLearning at elearning@pierce.ctc.edu.