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CODA outlines international accreditation steps and timelines to Dental Board
Summary
The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) presented the PACV consultative process and full accreditation pathway, explaining PACV observation, self-study and consultative visits, and the separate 12–18 month CODA application timeline for programs that move forward to full accreditation.
Representatives of the Commission on Dental Accreditation outlined CODA————procedures for international consultative review and the application pathway to seek full CODA accreditation.
Dr. Shuren Tookes told the board CODA operates as a peer-review accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. She described the PACV (preliminary accreditation consultative visit) process for international programs: a PACV survey instrument, an optional observation of a U.S. site visit, a self-study and consultation visit, followed by application to the commission. She explained that the PACV consultative phase is intended to be instructive for new programs and that an initial PACV site team typically consists of four members; a full initial accreditation site visit typically uses a six-person team (chair, finance, basic sciences, clinical curriculum, national licensure, et al.).
Tookes emphasized that CODA treats international programs on the same standards as U.S. programs and that the commission provides guidance, webinars and site-visitor training. She said CODA generally estimates 12 to 18 months for the commission application process once a program is ready and that timelines can vary depending on program completeness.
Board members asked about team composition, public availability of preliminary PACV findings, bias/conflict-of-interest controls and timelines for programs. Tookes explained CODA————has conflict-of-interest screening for site visitors, online and in-person training on objectivity, and a process for the program to identify conflicts; PACV reports are provided to the institution but are not automatically public.
What happens next: CODA offered documents and hyperlinks for programs seeking consultation; board members requested continued transparency and that program applicants keep the Dental Board informed of their PACV/CODA progress.
