Rafael Pacheco, PhD
Associate Dean & Associate Professor Augusta University
- Augusta GA
Dr. Pacheco specializes in dental materials, digital dentistry, and educational innovation.
Multimedia
Social
Biography
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
2017
State University of Campinas
MDS
Dental Materials
2012
State University of Campinas
DDS
Dentistry
2010
Affiliations
- AADOCR Georgia Section : Past President
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
