Politics
Politics

How much did Gov. Deal know about his state dental board pick?

Gov. Nathan Deal, left, appointed Dale G. Mayfiled, right, a corporate executive of Marietta-based Kool Smiles, to Georgia’s Board of Dentistry in February 2016. (Reann Huber/Reann.Huber@ajc.com; Johnny Edwards/jredwards@ajc.com; Kool Smiles website)
Gov. Nathan Deal, left, appointed Dale G. Mayfiled, right, a corporate executive of Marietta-based Kool Smiles, to Georgia’s Board of Dentistry in February 2016. (Reann Huber/Reann.Huber@ajc.com; Johnny Edwards/jredwards@ajc.com; Kool Smiles website)
By John Edwards
Feb 12, 2018

Dale G. Mayfield, an executive for the Kool Smiles chain of dental clinics, filled out an application to be on Georgia's dental licensing board in February 2016. Three days later, Gov. Nathan Deal issued an order appointing him to the Georgia Board of Dentistry.

“Mayfield is the chief dental officer of Kool Smiles,” Deal’s news release said.

But if anyone had bothered to research the company at the time, they would have known Kool Smiles faced government scrutiny over its treatment of children. They would have found a bounty of web articles and TV news reports.

So what happened? That’s not something the governor seems interested in talking about.

Read more of the AJC's investigation at MyAJC.com.

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