Augusta University
Stacey Hudson
A new class of dental professionals has officially entered the field as 96 dedicated students graduated from the Dental College of Georgia (DCG) at Augusta University (AU). The commencement ceremony, hosted by the DCG Office for Student Affairs, celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2025 and marked the culmination of years of rigorous academic study and clinical training. Watch the ceremony here.
Dr. Lee Hawkins, Georgia State Representative for the 27th District and former president of the Georgia Dental Association, served as the hooding speaker. Hawkins, a prominent dentist in Gainesville, Georgia, shared his personal and humorous insights with the graduates, encouraging them to continue to learn and to work with integrity.
“You’ll have moments of doubt, but these are the challenges that build our resilience and our strength,” Hawkins said, but stressed that the profession is full of incredible rewards. “It’s a unique privilege to improve someone’s health.”
The event saw the graduates receive their Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degrees, signifying their transition from students to professionals. Dr. Greg Griffin, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, announced the graduates and shared their post-graduation plans, including those who would be joining a residency program for advanced training, going into private practice, serving our country in a branch of the military and more.
He shared that the Class of 2025 has completed hundreds of hours of volunteer and community service. Nearly a third have been accepted to prestigious advanced residency programs, over a dozen have been inducted into honor societies, three graduated with a distinction in research, five with a distinction in leadership and six with a distinction in teaching.
Family and friends of the graduates have encouraged the graduates with financial support, emotional support, and sometimes even as training patients in student clinics. Today is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that everyone should celebrate. “There is no reason to restrain your joy and your happiness,” Griffin said.
During the ceremony, faculty members or family members already in the dental profession placed hoods on the graduates in a tradition that symbolizes their new status as doctors.
Dr. Nancy Young (DMD, 2006), dean of the DCG, shared advice for these new patient care professionals: “Lead with confidence, compassion, and respect. Your patients will look to you not only for answers but also for comfort. Keep your priorities close. Remember what matters most – inside and outside of the clinic.”
Young then invited alumni to remember that they always have a place at AU. “We’re cheering you on and we are here if you ever need us.”
Several students were recognized for their exceptional achievements during the ceremony. The DCG Outstanding Senior Award was presented to Harrison Smith, an exceptional graduate who received the 2025 DCG Faculty Scholarship, the Dr. John MacNamara Scholarship and acceptance into the DCG Orthodontics Residency Program. Smith was also inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
The Judson C. Hickey Teaching Excellence Award was presented to Dr. Brent Haeberle, Interim Chair of Restorative Sciences, for his exceptional contributions to dental education. Haeberle joined the DCG faculty in 2011 as an Assistant Professor. During his tenure, he has received multiple awards for teaching, including The DCG Teaching Excellence Award in 2022, and the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2020. Since 2020, he has served as Section Director for Removable Prosthodontics.
The hooding student speaker was Tristen Bennett, President of the Class of 2025, who received the DCG Faculty Scholarship and the Dr. Karyn Stockwell Scholarship and completed a dental mission experience in Peru.
The ceremony concluded with the recitation of the Dentist’s Pledge, led by Dr. Amber Lawson (DMD, 2006), president of the Georgia Dental Association. A reception for graduates and their guests followed in the fellowship hall.
The Class of 2025 represents a diverse group of individuals who have shown unwavering commitment, skill, and perseverance throughout their dental education. Their journey included mastering dental anatomy, pharmacology, and surgical procedures while honing their patient care skills in DCG’s advanced simulation labs and live patient clinics.
In addition to traditional students, the class also includes nontraditional students making a career change, immigration success stories, first-generation college students, and other unconventional journeys illustrating that a determined individual can find success and support at the DCG.
