Pediatric dentist with practice in Austell arrested for child porn

Dr. Paul Bogeun Kim, a pediatric dentist working with three practices in the metro Atlanta area, including one in Austell, was arrested for alleged possession of child pornography.

Kim’s arrest and charges came after Atlanta-based FBI agents executed search warrants at his Sandy Springs home and found videos containing child pornography. According to the federal complaint, Kim was connected to an IP address that had purchased child porn from a known child sexual exploitation ring.

Investigators say Kim paid approximately $250 in cryptocurrency to the sexual exploitation ring.

Kim worked at Dentistry for Children at its offices in Austell, Dunwoody, and Cumming. The company issued a statement saying they are cooperating with the FBI and confirmed that Kim left their employment in November 2023, after having worked there for more than a year.

Kim was granted a $100,000 bond by a federal judge who also placed him on monitored home incarceration, with no internet access and no access to children. The FBI has also notified the licensing board of his arrest.

The FBI said it has notified the licensing board, and investigators continue to look into Kim and others. They ask anyone who might have relevant information about Kim to contact them at 1-800 CALL-FBI (1- 800-225-5324) or share a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Here is the full statement from Dentistry for Children:

“We recently learned about the alleged abhorrent behavior involving an Atlanta dentist, Dr. Paul Kim, who worked at Dentistry for Children from August 2022 through November 16, 2023. Dentistry for Children is fully cooperating with authorities. Importantly, we are not aware of any allegations involving any of the practice’s patients, or complaints regarding Dr. Kim or his interactions with patients, staff, or visitors to the practice.

At Dentistry for Children, patient safety is everyone’s top priority, and the practice adheres to robust policies and procedures to ensure the protection of its patients. These measures include: Prior to being hired, a thorough background check is performed on all staff members and dentists, which includes a review of any local, state, or federal criminal history. These reviews also include ensuring that dentists are actively licensed by the Georgia Board of Dentistry – which maintains their own robust background reviews – to practice in the state. With respect to Dr. Kim, none of these reviews indicated any concerns, and the first we were alerted to any potential issues involving him was when the news of his arrest broke this week.

Finally, our offices follow safety protocols that prohibit 1 on 1 interactions between patients and any member of the practice office team, including dentists, and we have no indication to believe that Dr. Kim failed to maintain those procedures during his tenure at the practice.”