South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem recently starred in a commercial for Smile Texas, a dental practice in Sugar Land, a suburb of Houston.
The nearly 5-minute video, posted on her personal social media accounts, features her praising the dental practice for fixing her teeth, which were damaged in a biking accident. Despite her busy schedule, Governor Noem did not address questions about the commercial at recent events.
The move has sparked confusion and criticism, with some questioning the appropriateness of a sitting governor endorsing a business in another state.
While it’s unclear if the governor was compensated, the South Dakota Dental Association notes that she knows several dentists in the state.
Until Governor Noem provides further explanation, the motives behind her promotion of the Texas dentist remain unclear.