During his first term as Attorney General, McDaniel expanded consumer protection litigation, Medicaid fraud enforcement and established the Arkansas Attorney General's Office as a law enforcement agency. He also instigated the "Be Street Smart" Program to raise consumer awareness of scams and cybercrimes.
Dustin McDaniel was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He is the oldest son of Bobby McDaniel and Melody Gammon Konnerth. McDaniel has one sibling, Brett Anthony McDaniel, who is an attorney in Jonesboro, Arkansas. His father, Bobby, graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law after Dustin was born. Mike Beebe, the 45th Governor of Arkansas, was a fellow law student and friend of the family.