Advanced Education in General Dentistry program expands training pipeline focused on underserved communities
PHOENIX (April 13, 2026) – Valleywise Health is growing its first independently accredited dental residency program, which launched last year. The residency marks a major milestone in the organization’s longstanding commitment to training the next generation of health care providers and expanding access to oral healthcare for underserved populations.
The Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency program welcomed its inaugural cohort in 2025 and is designed to prepare dentists to deliver comprehensive, community-focused care in complex medical and social environments. This month the program welcomed three new residents to the program.
“Our goal is to influence the next generation of dentists to be community-service minded and to truly embrace the Valleywise Health mission,” said Dr. Christopher Brendemuhl, Director of Dentistry at Valleywise Community Health dental clinics and Chair of the Department of Dentistry. “We 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.”
The program received initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) in August 2024 and is working toward full accreditation.
Residents rotate through Valleywise Health’s Federally Qualified Health Centers and Valleywise Health Medical Center, gaining experience in integrated, team-based care that connects oral health with broader medical services.
“Our residency uniquely integrates dentistry with broader medical care, offering a holistic view of health that extends beyond the dental chair,” Brendemuhl said. “This experience is enriched through rotations in specialized clinics and interdisciplinary settings where residents see firsthand how oral health impacts overall health.”
Training sites include the Comprehensive Health Center – Phoenix, where residents collaborate across medical disciplines; Comprehensive Health Center – Peoria, which provides exposure to ambulatory surgical care; and the McDowell clinic, which focuses on comprehensive care for patients living with HIV/AIDS. These experiences reflect Valleywise Health’s deep commitment to serving diverse, medically complex populations.
While Valleywise Health has a proud history of medical and surgical residencies dating back to 1952, the AEGD program represents the first dental residency created and solely sponsored by the organization. It builds on Valleywise Health’s role as Arizona’s only public teaching hospital and safety net health care system.
Valleywise Health operates 12 Federally Qualified Health Centers across Maricopa County. By training dentists in these settings, the residency program aims to strengthen the pipeline of providers who are prepared to practice in community health environments.
“This program is about more than training dentists,” Brendemuhl added. “It’s about building a workforce that understands the needs of our community and is equipped to meet them with skill and compassion.”
For more information about the Valleywise Health AEGD residency program, visit ValleywiseHealth.org and view video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnBBmdleAgM.
About Valleywise Health
With locations throughout Maricopa County, one of the country’s fastest growing metro areas, Valleywise Health has a proud 147-year tradition of providing exceptional care, without exception, every patient, every time. Today, the health system includes one of the nation’s top public teaching hospitals, a world-renowned burn center and Arizona’s largest HIV primary care center. From a new state-of-the-art acute care hospital, including the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center and Level I Trauma, to three behavioral health hospitals and 11 community health centers, Valleywise Health is here for every member of the community. To learn more, please visit ValleywiseHealth.org.
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