SGA Dental Partners plans $2.5M gift to Dental College of Georgia Savannah

SGA Dental Partners has committed $2.5 million to support Augusta University’s new Dental College of Georgia Savannah campus, helping equip the next generation of dentists and dental hygienists to serve communities across Georgia. The gift also includes naming the campus’ dental simulation center in recognition of SGA Dental Partners’ commitment to dental education.

The state-of-the-art simulation center will serve as the educational hub of the future 185,000-square-foot DCG Savannah facility, where students will be able to develop clinical skills in a realistic learning environment before treating patients. Augusta University leaders, members of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Gov. Brian P. Kemp and Georgia legislators broke ground together on the facility April 29, 2026. When it opens in fall 2028, the campus will welcome 50 dental students annually and launch a dental hygiene program that will enroll 20 students each year. The workforce expansion will increase access to dental education and care across coastal Georgia.

“SGA Dental Partners is proud to partner with the new dental school in Savannah – an investment that will strengthen the pipeline of talented dentists entering Georgia and help expand access to high-quality oral healthcare throughout the state,” said Myles McAllister, CEO of SGA Dental Partners. “This partnership reflects our long-term commitment to developing future clinicians, advancing oral health, and working alongside educational and community leaders to build healthier, stronger communities across Georgia.”

The gift from SGA Dental Partners represents a major philanthropic commitment to expanding dental education and access to oral healthcare across the state. The gift will help attract faculty and support the purchase of equipment and other resources for the DCG Savannah campus.

“We are grateful to SGA Dental Partners for their generous gift to our students and the communities they will serve,” said Augusta University President Russell T. Keen. “As home to Georgia’s only dental college, Augusta University has a responsibility to prepare more dentists and dental hygienists to serve communities across our state. This gift will help us expand opportunities for students, strengthen Georgia’s dental workforce and improve access to care where it is needed most.”

Founded in 1969, the Dental College of Georgia educates more than 400 dental students and 75 residents each year. Since graduating its first class in 1973, DCG has prepared more than 3,500 oral healthcare professionals to serve communities locally and nationally. Faculty and staff at the Augusta campus provide care to nearly 50,000 patients annually from across Georgia and beyond.

Georgia continues to face a significant shortage of dental professionals, ranking among the lowest states in the nation for dentist-to-population ratios, with only 48 dentists per 100,000 residents, according to the American Dental Association. The Savannah campus is designed to help address that need by increasing the number of dental professionals entering the workforce and expanding access to dental care, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

“SGA Dental Partners understands that supporting dental education is ultimately a commitment to healthier communities across Georgia,” said Theresa Gonzales, DMD, interim dean of DCG. “Their extraordinary generosity will help create a world-class simulation center where students can build clinical skills using advanced technology before caring for patients throughout our state. We are very grateful for their philanthropic support.”

The Savannah campus also expands one of only two four-year bachelor’s dental hygiene programs in Georgia, another boost for oral healthcare.

“By supporting the DCG Savannah campus, we are helping prepare the next generation of dentists and hygienists who will improve access to care, particularly in rural and underserved communities where the need is greatest. This is an important step toward creating healthier communities across Georgia,” said Kyle W. Hollis, DMD, chief clinical officer at SGA Dental Partners.

SGA Dental Partners is a leading dental support organization serving communities across 26 states, with a high concentration of practices throughout the Southeast. Through a network of more than 250 general and specialty dentistry practices and in partnership with more than 500 dentists and their teams, the organization focuses on expanding access to exceptional dental care throughout the region.

Backed by $178 million in state funding, the Savannah Campus is expected to generate a regional impact of more than $70 million annually through job creation, workforce development and increased activity tied to students, faculty, staff and patients.

Since 2006, every senior DCG student has completed clinical rotations in underserved communities across Georgia through partnerships with community clinics, health departments and federally qualified health centers. With 90% of DCG students coming from Georgia, the majority of graduates remain in the state to practice after graduation, helping expand access to oral healthcare within the state.

“The impact of this gift will reach far beyond the walls of the Savannah campus and its simulation center,” Keen said. “Students will carry the skills they develop here into dental practices and communities across Georgia, including areas where access to care remains limited. That is how this partnership will make a lasting difference for patients and families throughout the state.”