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Valleywise Health is expanding its independently accredited dental residency program to strengthen Arizona鈥檚 health care workforce while improving access to oral health services in underserved communities.

The Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency, which launched its inaugural cohort in 2025, recently welcomed three new residents as part of its continued growth. The program is designed to prepare dentists to deliver comprehensive, community-focused care鈥攑articularly in complex medical and social environments often encountered in safety-net settings.

The expansion marks a significant milestone for Valleywise Health, which has long played a central role in training medical professionals but only recently established its first dental residency program under its sole sponsorship.

Dr. Christopher Brendemuhl, director of dentistry at Valleywise Community Health dental clinics and chair of the Department of Dentistry, said the program is intentionally designed to cultivate a new generation of dentists committed to service.

鈥淥ur goal is to influence the next generation of dentists to be community-service minded and to truly embrace the Valleywise Health mission,鈥� Brendemuhl said. 鈥淲e want to build a group of dentists who are connected to the community, who are lifelong learners and who are passionate about serving the most vulnerable of our populations.鈥�

The residency received initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation in August 2024 and is working toward full accreditation, an important step in solidifying its role as a long-term training pipeline.

Integrated care model reflects evolving health needs

A key feature of the program is its emphasis on integrated, team-based care. Residents rotate through Valleywise Health鈥檚 network of Federally Qualified Health Centers and its flagship medical center, gaining hands-on experience that connects oral health with broader medical treatment.

This interdisciplinary approach reflects a growing recognition across the health care sector that oral health is closely tied to overall health outcomes.

鈥淥ur residency uniquely integrates dentistry with broader medical care, offering a holistic view of health that extends beyond the dental chair,鈥� Brendemuhl said. 鈥淭his experience is enriched through rotations in specialized clinics and interdisciplinary settings where residents see firsthand how oral health impacts overall health.鈥�

Training sites include the Comprehensive Health Center in Phoenix, where residents collaborate across specialties; the Peoria location, which offers exposure to ambulatory surgical care; and the McDowell clinic, which focuses on treating patients living with HIV/AIDS.

Building a pipeline for community-based care

The program鈥檚 expansion comes as Arizona, like much of the country, faces ongoing challenges in ensuring adequate access to health care providers鈥攑articularly in community health settings that serve low-income and medically complex populations.

Valleywise Health operates a network of Federally Qualified Health Centers across Maricopa County, positioning the residency program as a direct pipeline for dentists prepared to practice in those environments.

The organization, which has trained medical professionals since 1952 and serves as Arizona鈥檚 only public teaching hospital and safety-net health system, sees the dental residency as a natural extension of its broader workforce mission.

鈥淭his program is about more than training dentists,鈥� Brendemuhl said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about building a workforce that understands the needs of our community and is equipped to meet them with skill and compassion.鈥�

As Arizona continues to grow, efforts like Valleywise Health鈥檚 AEGD program highlight the critical role of locally driven workforce development in meeting the state鈥檚 long-term health care needs鈥攑articularly for populations that have historically faced barriers to care.