Boards of Dentistry and Pharmacy seek funding for investigators as complaint backlog grows
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Summary
Clint Joyner told the appropriations subcommittee that complaint caseloads at the State Board of Dentistry have surged (1,006 new cases in 2025) and that investigator staffing expansion and equipment (vehicle and PPE) are in the governor’s amended FY26 requests to address the backlog; timeline for case resolution currently averages two to three years.
Clint Joyner, executive director for the Georgia Board of Dentistry and the State Board of Pharmacy, told the House appropriations subcommittee that complaint volumes have accelerated and urged the committee to adopt the governor’s requested staffing and one‑time equipment changes.
"We wound up seeing over 1000, just 1006," Joyner said, describing the board’s new‑case totals for 2025 and projecting over 1,200 cases in the coming year. Joyner said the board has been expanding an investigative unit that previously consisted of a single investigator and that new positions and equipment (a vehicle and protective equipment funded in FY27) are needed to keep pace with complaints.
Members asked about the most common complaint types and interagency coordination. Joyner said the majority appear to be filed against general dentists and range from malpractice‑type allegations (wrong tooth pulled, nerve damage) to billing miscoding and improper repeat billing. He said the board works with local prosecutors and state agencies when appropriate, and cited a recent coordinated action with Fulton County to close a prominent practice.
On case processing time, Joyner said the current average to resolution is "about 2 to 3 years," and that one investigator closes roughly 20 cases a month. He told members adding investigators would materially shorten the backlog but that the board’s investigative committee and administrative processes can become a rate‑limiting factor.
Joyner also explained that roughly 25% of funds appropriated under HB 68 were pulled back because hires occurred later than budgeted, and that some position offers were declined, further delaying onboarding.
Next steps: The boards asked the committee to adopt the governor’s recommended adjustments for amended FY26 to restore investigative capacity and to approve the one‑time equipment funding planned for FY27.