Dayton is a lawyer to the Utah Bar. He is currently Vice President of Government Relations for Intermountain Healthcare (IHC). He is credited with IHC's successful navigation^{[clarification needed]} of the Utah Legislature's health care task force.^{[citation needed]} In 2000 Dayton was charged with a misdemeanor in Ogden for standing by the side of the road with a sign warning motorists of a speed trap. The charges against him were eventually dismissed on free speech grounds.^[1]

Dayton's wife Kat Dayton is the head of the Political Action Committee for the Republicans in the Utah House of Representatives.^[2]