Will a New Dental School in Georgia Help or Hurt Access to Care?
Georgia is investing $178 million in a new dental school to address its dentist shortage, but some practitioners argue the plan ignores deeper issues like student debt and faculty shortages. Critics believe state funds would be better spent expanding current programs and incentivizing dentists to serve rural areas.
The state of Georgia is moving forward with plans to establish a new dental school at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus in Savannah, backed by $178 million in state funding. The decision is driven by a critical shortage of dentists, with only 5,212 currently practicing in a state with 11.3 million residents. The initiative aims to increase the number of dental professionals, particularly in rural and underserved areas. However, some dental professionals argue that the plan may not address the real barriers to care —and could even create new challenges.
Opponents of the new school point to faculty shortages and student debt as more pressing concerns. The state’s existing dental school, the Dental College of Georgia in Augusta, currently has 22 faculty openings. Without addressing these shortages, critics worry that expanding dental education could be an uphill battle. Additionally, with average dental student debt nearing $300,000, newly trained dentists may still choose to practice in more profitable urban areas rather than serving the rural communities most in need.
Rather than investing in a new dental school, some oral health professionals are advocating for alternative solutions, such as expanding student loan forgiveness programs, enhancing faculty recruitment efforts, and increasing clinical training opportunities in rural settings. Some also argue that Savannah’s location is not ideal for a new dental school, as it is geographically constrained and does not directly serve Georgia’s most underserved regions.
Despite these concerns, state officials believe that adding a second dental school is a long-term investment in Georgia’s future, as the state is projected to become the fifth most populous in the coming decades. Lawmakers have also introduced measures, such as HB 322, to address faculty shortages by allowing out-of-state and international dentists to teach in Georgia’s accredited programs.
As the debate continues, the central question remains: Will a new dental school effectively improve access to care in Georgia, or would targeted investments in the existing system yield better results? With the projected opening date set for 2028, the answer may take years to unfold. Click here to read more.
