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Written by: A. Smith
Published December 16, 2025 @ 8:01 PM ET
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – A man accused of posing as a licensed dentist in Buckhead and performing substandard dental work on hundreds of patients now faces 110 criminal charges after prosecutors said he pocketed more than $4 million through an illegal operation.
Brandon Dillard was indicted Nov. 21 on a wide range of charges, including theft, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, drug possession, commercial gambling and violations of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, according to court records. Prosecutors allege Dillard falsely represented himself as qualified to perform dental procedures and operated a professional-looking office designed to make patients believe his practice was legitimate.
According to the indictment, Dillard began offering dental services in 2021 and continued until his arrest in October 2024. During that time, prosecutors say he installed veneers, performed fillings and removed braces — all without a dental license. Patients later reported chipped and broken teeth, abscesses, tooth pain, sensitivity and discoloration, among other injuries.
Dillard promoted himself on social media as a “veneer tech” and gained a following by showcasing dental work performed on influencers and reality television personalities, including Gia “Rollie Pollie” Mayham of Zeus Network’s “Baddies” franchise. Dental professional organizations have said no such credential exists.
In a 2024 statement addressing the rise of so-called veneer technicians, the American Dental Association warned that dental procedures performed without the supervision of a licensed dentist can cause irreversible harm, including infection and nerve damage.
Some of Dillard’s alleged victims have already pursued civil action. Jerald Applewhite of Memphis told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this year that he paid $7,500 for veneers in July 2024. Within weeks, he said several veneers fell out after he bit into a graham cracker. When Applewhite returned to Atlanta for a follow-up appointment in October, Dillard had already been arrested. Applewhite has an active lawsuit seeking $20,000 in damages.
Prosecutors allege Dillard did not act alone. A forfeiture complaint filed last year said he worked alongside a romantic partner to illegally install veneers. The recent indictment expands on that claim, adding that a former prosecutor-turned-attorney also assisted the operation.
That attorney allegedly advised Dillard and others on how to conceal the enterprise from the Georgia Board of Dentistry and other regulators. Prosecutors say the attorney sent cease-and-desist letters threatening legal action against two people who attempted to expose Dillard as a fraud.
Elias Mauricio Soto Moreno is also charged in the indictment with violating Georgia’s RICO law. Prosecutors say Soto Moreno is licensed to practice dentistry in Colombia but is not licensed in Georgia. They allege he helped Dillard conduct training courses that charged participants $6,000 each and falsely implied graduates would be legally allowed to perform veneer procedures.
Dillard is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 26. Prosecutors have not said whether additional arrests are expected.
