Augusta University
Rafael Pacheco, PhD
Associate Dean for Digital Technologies and Associate Professor, Academic Administration and Restorative Sciences
- Augusta GA UNITED STATES
Dr. Pacheco is a dental materials expert and academic leader advancing digital technologies in dental education and practice.
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Biography
Dr. Rafael Rocha Pacheco, DDS, MSc, PhD, is Associate Dean of Digital Technologies and Associate Professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences at The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University, where he also serves as Section Director of Dental Materials and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Oral Biology. In these roles, he leads the college's digital transformation, overseeing the integration of intraoral scanning, CAD/CAM, additive manufacturing and emerging technologies across the curriculum, clinics and research enterprise.
Dr. Pacheco earned his DDS, MSc and PhD in Dental Materials from the Piracicaba Dental School at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil, with doctoral research conducted in part at Augusta University as a Special Visiting Scholar. Before returning to Augusta, he was a tenured Associate Professor and Division Director of Clinical Essentials and Simulation at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, and he has held teaching appointments at the University of Michigan and UNICAMP.
His research spans dental materials science, resin composites, adhesion to ceramics, photopolymerization and digital dentistry. He has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters, including the Digital Technologies chapter in the 14th edition of Phillips' Science of Dental Materials, and holds three patents.
Dr. Pacheco directs dental materials courses across predoctoral, dental hygiene and graduate programs. His teaching and service have been recognized with multiple faculty awards across two institutions and national organizations, including the student-selected Judson C. Hickey Award and the Augusta University Outstanding Faculty Award, both in 2026. He is a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy and an ADEA Leadership Institute Fellow. Before dentistry, he trained as a CNC machinist and information technology technician, a nontraditional path that continues to shape his hands-on, technology-driven approach to dental education and innovation.
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
Outstanding Pre-Clinical Faculty Award
2021 University of Detroit Mercy, School of Dentistry
Faculty Award
2022 Sigma Phi Alpha, National Dental Hygiene Honor Society, Omega Chapter
Dental Faculty Award
2022 Michigan Dental Association
New Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
2024 Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University
Commitee MVP Faculty Award
2024 Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University
Education
State University of Campinas
Ph.D.
Dental Materials
2017State University of Campinas
MDS
Dental Materials
2012State University of Campinas
DDS
Dentistry
2010Affiliations
- AADOCR Georgia Section : Past President
- Pierre Fauchard Academy : Fellow
- ADEA Leadership Institute : Fellow
- Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society
Links
Media Appearances
Revolutionizing dental education: DCG instructor creates 3D teaching tool
Augusta University News online
2025-06-23
Rafael Pacheco, DDS, PhD, noticed a need for how dental students were learning to prepare teeth for crowns while teaching at the University of Detroit Mercy. “I was seeing issues with dental education many times when we did demonstrations,” he said.
AU faculty teaching ‘lifelong learners’ through fall lecture series
Augusta University News online
2025-10-08
Rafael Rocha Pacheco, DDS, PhD, spoke about technological advancements in health care. Participants learned about technologies like 3D printing and how the Dental College of Georgia is using these new technologies to educate the next generation of health care providers.
Dr. Rafael Pacheco on Using AI to Personalize Learning
Speaking of Higher Ed online
2026-04-15
In this episode, Arthur Takahashi talks with Dr. Rafael Pacheco, associate professor and associate dean for digital technologies at the Dental College of Georgia, about how he is using AI to create more personalized learning experiences for students.
Articles
Effect of finishing protocols on dentin surface characteristics and bond strength after tooth preparation for indirect restorations
Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry2026
Microstructural evolution of cold-worked titanium dental implants following clinically relevant insertion torque
Journal of Prosthodontics2026
Surface microtexture and hydroxyapatite coating integrity of titanium dental implants following clinically relevant insertion torque
Journal of Prosthodontics2026
Evaluation of a new dynamic erosive aging method on the properties of restorative CAD/CAM dental materials
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials2025
From names to concepts: Unraveling bioactivity in restorative dental materials
Journal of the American Dental Association2025
