A magistrate judge in Fulton County refused to grant bail to Brandon Dillard who was accused of illegally doing dental procedures without a license.
Brandon Dillard attended his initial court appearance remotely from the Fulton County Jail. Judge Holly Hughes expressed her concerns to Dillard, indicating that she felt he posed a risk of resuming his unauthorized procedures if granted release on bail.
“I do believe he poses a risk. And the risk isn’t necessarily he’s out there with a gun shooting people. Risk is also when you are practicing medicine or dentistry without the proper licenses. Things can go horribly wrong,” Hughes said.
Brandon Dillard who refers to himself as Atlanta’s top veneer specialist is being accused of practicing dentistry and medicine for years without a license.
According to a report by wsbtv.com, Fulton County District Attorney, Will Wooten is claiming that “Brandon Dillard is not a dentist. He’s never been a dentist. And as much as he may want to play one on Instagram, he is not one.” According to the report, on Thursday, law enforcement officials, including investigators from the district attorney’s office, conducted a raid on the Northeast Atlanta location of “A List Smiles Atlanta.”
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With a following of 157,000 on Instagram, the company has been in business since 2021. However, arrest warrants for Dillard reveal that he lacks a dental license and has been unlawfully conducting veneer treatments. In Georgia, veneer procedures can only be legally conducted by licensed dentists. Despite this, “A List Smiles” showcases the smiles of what they claim are happy clients on their social media platforms, along with promotions such as raffle contests for their $5,500 veneer services.
“If you went to this and you thought it was a dental office and you looked at the equipment, it appears to be legitimate. But that’s what the best fraudsters do, is they do everything they can to make themselves look legitimate. And in this case, this is an illegitimate operation. The problem is the consequences are to one’s health,” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said.
Dillard faces eight felony charges, which include practicing dentistry and medicine without the necessary licenses, as well as engaging in theft by deception.
“It does look reputable. It does look professional. And that’s part of the scam,” Wooten said.
Dillard reportedly conducted training sessions for individuals nationwide on veneer procedures, charging upwards of $6,000 to become a “Veneer Specialist.” However, the district attorney’s office has stated that, under Georgia law, there is no official designation for a Veneer Specialist or Veneer Technician.
“Many, many people paid this defendant to receive training on how to do this illegal conduct. I am not interested in prosecuting those persons. I am interested in them stopping this work and finding out who they are because they are also victims,” Willis said.