Georgia Southern University aims to establish a new dental school, pending approval of the state budget by Governor Kemp.
The current proposal is to locate this new school on the Armstrong Campus.

Here’s what we know:

• Kemp requested a midyear budget last month that includes a proposed $178 million for the establishment of a new dental school on Georgia Southern’s Armstrong Campus.
• The Georgia House has already passed the midyear 2024 budget – House Bill 915 – with a 161-2 vote, maintaining the governor’s proposed funding for the dental school.
• AP News reports that the Georgia Senate “voted 54-1 on Thursday to pass House Bill 915,” making minor adjustments but leaving the $178 million allocation unchanged.
• The House and Senate will now finalize the budget before sending the bill to the governor for final approval.
• The dental school would fall under the Dental College of Georgia, though Georgia Southern would house it and host it, President Marrero said in a recent Faculty Senate meeting.
• Kemp’s proposed funding would cover the “design, construction and FF&E (fixtures, furniture and equipment)” for the new school, according to Marrero.

Here’s what we don’t know:

• The exact timetable for the establishment of the dental school is uncertain.
• While the bill itself confirms that the dental school would be on the Armstrong Campus, the exact location is not specified.
• The number of students that the school would accommodate is not yet known.
• It is unclear what the living and study arrangements are for the dental school’s students or if they would utilize existing Armstrong facilities.

The university declined to provide further details when asked about the matter. Check back with The Inkwell for more updates.