School of Dentistry building on priority list
by Jennifer Hilliard
A new building for the MCG School of Dentistry could come sooner than originally thought if a recommendation by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents is approved by the state legislature.
A new priority plan presented at a June 6 board meeting recommends that the university receive $5 million to plan the new building. This is one of seven projects identified as a high priority for the university system and the state of Georgia. Board members will vote on the list in August and present it to Gov. Sonny Perdue for inclusion in the 2008 state budget.
Other projects on the new “high priority list” include the original four highest-ranking projects: new academic buildings at Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University, a science center at Macon State College and a new College of Pharmacy building at the University of Georgia. Two new projects added to the list include a library at Georgia Gwinnett College and a health sciences building at Kennesaw State University. MCG’s School of Dentistry’s new building was previously ranked number 23 on the priority list.
“The Board of Regents’ recommendation to move the dental school to a priority list underscores the urgent need for an upgraded building,” said School of Dentistry Dean Connie Drisko. “Our dental facility should be a reflection of the high quality of our faculty, staff and students.”
The money would be used to plan, design and prepare a possible future site of the building.
As the state’s only dental school, the School of Dentistry must have a new facility to continue its mission of optimizing oral health education, research and clinical care for all Georgians, Dean Drisko said. Of the proposed costs, $78 million has already been appropriated by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. The remaining $30 million must come from individuals, corporations, organizations and foundations.