The University of Washington School of Dentistry has received approval from the Commission on Dental Accreditation for its Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program. The inaugural cohort of three residents have matriculated; instruction began earlier this month.
The UW AEGD is a one-year postgraduate residency that bridges the gap between dental school and independent advanced practice. Residents train across the full scope of general dentistry under affiliate faculty mentorship at partner community clinic sites across Washington State — emerging practice-ready, confident, and eligible for Washington State licensure.
“I would say what makes this program unique is the tailored experiences we plan to provide to residents with a deep commitment to excellent customer service,” said Dr. Amy Kim, the UW AEGD Executive Director who is also the School’s Assistant Dean of Community and Educational Programs. “We handpicked community health and clinical entities that share our goals and values, and will only work with a handful of top-notch sites to provide outstanding learning experiences in advanced dentistry to our residents.”
The entities the AEGD program has partnered with include Community Health Clinics of Tacoma and Kaiser Permanente Dental Associates. The program is looking to expand the number of residents for next year by adding Light Dental Studios as a clinical training site.
“All of our clinical sites are vetted thoroughly, with preceptor faculty obtaining extensive training and calibration as affiliate faculty of UWSOD’s Restorative Dentistry department,” Dr. Kim continued. “We will limit our operations to the PNW region, and remain very selective about our partnering sites to ensure quality in clinical training. Accordingly, our AEGD residents will be a small and elite group of highly motivated individuals who will learn from the renowned faculty of UW to become super generalist leaders in our field.”
The first three UW AEGD residents are all graduates of the UWSOD Class of 2026: Drs. Nathan Dahm, Sydney Brediger and Edgar Gomez.
“Coming out of dental school, I felt I had developed a strong foundation in the knowledge and clinical skills needed to practice dentistry, but I wanted to further develop my confidence and independence as a clinician,” said Dr. Gomez. “I chose to pursue an AEGD residency because it provides an opportunity to expand my clinical experience while continuing to learn from experienced mentors. My ultimate goal is to use this experience to become a well-rounded, confident clinician who can provide the highest quality dental care to the members of my community.”
“Training at the Kaiser Permanente site offers the unique opportunity to build on that foundation within an integrated healthcare system that emphasizes prevention, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the connection between oral and systemic health,” said Dr. Brediger. “It has been an exceptional environment to refine my clinical judgment, expand my skills, and continue growing as a comprehensive dentist.”
The UW AEGD program is led by Dr. Kim and its Program Director, Dr. Andy Marashi of the Department of Restorative Dentistry. Dr. Randall Maebo, also of the Department of Restorative Dentistry, will serve as Managing Director.
The UW AEGD received CODA accreditation earlier this summer. The program is currently accepting applications for 2027. For more information, visit the UW AEGD homepage.