Dental Assisting

Program Compliance

The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) reviews complaints and third-party comments that relate specifically to a program’s compliance with accreditation standards. CODA’s role is to ensure the sustained quality and continuous improvement of dental and dental-related education programs. CODA does not:

• • Intervene on behalf of individuals, or
  • Act as a court of appeal for patient treatment, admissions, appointments, promotion, or dismissal of faculty, staff, or students.

Submitting a Complaint

A formal complaint must be submitted in writing (electronic or paper), signed by the complainant, and must clearly outline:

• • The specific accreditation standard, policy, or procedure in question, and
  • Supporting rationale and documentation.

Verbal complaints will be directed to submitters to file a formal written complaint. Anonymous comments received outside of CODA’s 60-day reporting window will be added to the program’s file for review at the next accreditation site visit.

Third-Party Comments for Accreditation

The Foothill College Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Programs will have a CODA accreditation site visit on June 9–11, 2026. CODA invites comments from faculty, students, administrators, dental organizations, patients, and the public.

• • All comments must relate to the Accreditation Standards or CODA’s policies and procedures.
  • Comments will be screened for relevancy.
  • Signed or unsigned comments will be accepted, but identifying information will be removed before being shared with the program.
  • Deadline: Comments must be received by April 10, 2026 (60 days prior to the visit).
  • Comments should not be sent via U.S. Postal Service.

Contact CODA

A copy of the accreditation standards and CODA’s policy on submitting comments/complaints can be obtained by contacting:

Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2678
Phone: 1-800-621-8099, ext. 4653 or 1-312-440-4653
Email: dentalaccreditation@ada.org