Promo video poses new ethics issue for Noem
South Dakota governor’s social media post is endorsing cosmetic dentist practice in Texas
Sitting in front of a camera for a produced, well-lit vertical video with the kind of caption made to watch on mute while you’re scrolling through social media, a patient for SmileTexas near Houston tells viewers about traveling from out of state to fix her teeth.
The patient, whose teeth had needed to be addressed for years after a biking accident, says in the video that she started to cry when she saw her new smile.
“I love my new family at Smile Texas! The video says it all, and I am so grateful for their help fixing my smile for me,” reads a caption for the video post, shared on several social media platforms.
It could have been a testimonial from any one of SmileTexas’s patients, who include a celebrity chef, influencers, pageant contestants, a professional athlete and a reality star, all of whom have also appeared in promotional content for the practice.
But the patient in the latest testimonial was Kristi Noem, the Republican governor of South Dakota, who is considered a potential running mate for former President Donald Trump in 2024.
“This gracious leading lady @govkristinoem just received an executive, feminine, beautiful smile here at Smile Texas,” Bret Davis, the dentist who worked on Noem, wrote in an Instagram post. “I’ll be posting later how we achieved this smile on this gracious, calm, and courageous patriot!”
The video, posted on the governor’s social media accounts last week, has led to a firestorm of criticism, a lawsuit and a potential ethics inquiry questioning whether she participated in an undisclosed advertisement or used state resources.
Two spokespeople for Noem did not respond to requests for comment.
The practice, more than 1,000 miles from the South Dakota governor’s mansion in Pierre, regularly works with influencer types, many of whom travel from out of state to fix their smile.
It focuses on cosmetic dentistry and dental implants, and boasts an in-house pianist and a dedicated filming room. It also promotes travel to the practice, listing local lodging and taxi services on its website.
Federal Election Commission data shows that two dentists pictured with Noem have donated in support of Republican political candidates over the years.
Lauren Wolfe, counsel for Travelers United, which has pursued other cases related to travel influencers, said that if the governor “was able to prove with basic receipt … that she paid full price for these services, we would be happy to drop the case.”