February 19, 2024
Dr. Bill Milner
The American Dental Association (ADA) recognized Bill Milner, DDS, MPH '84 (Healthcare Policy and Administration), with the 2023 Humanitarian Award for outstanding contributions to dentistry and health equity over decades. Awarded.
Mr. Milner was recognized primarily for his work with Access Dental, an organization he founded with support from the North Carolina Dental Association to expand access to dental services for older adults and people with special health needs. has been awarded this award.
These two populations frequently face barriers to receiving appropriate dental care due to the traditional dental model, which requires patients to go to an office, sit still, and keep their mouths open. Masu. Access Dental Care reduces these barriers by bringing clinics with specially trained health care providers directly to those in need. Milner and her employees visit and provide services to nursing homes, residential care, and day programs.
Milner has training in both public health and dentistry, which has given him a unique perspective on the role of dentistry within the overall health and service model. My medical experience in other countries opened my eyes to other ways to provide needed care, especially to underserved populations.
“I owe much of my program development skills and understanding of community structure to what I learned at Gillings,” Milner said. “It’s an honor to be able to give back to the school and the state of North Carolina.”
Access Dental currently operates in more than 150 facilities across North Carolina and works with partners to explore new funding models for specialty dental care and the latest training for dental providers.
Dentistry is an important part of your health, but it's sometimes overlooked. Almost 100% of adults suffer from tooth decay, and many do not receive proper treatment. A global analysis of 291 diseases found untreated caries (tooth decay), with tooth decay the most prevalent. The resulting dental disease reduces quality of life and increases vulnerability to various chronic diseases.
Access Dental Care staff will unload your equipment.
Lack of access to oral health care has a snowballing effect. It worsens other symptoms and exacerbates existing health inequalities. There are ways to combat this disparity, but they aren't always easy. Milner said their hours often include “up to an hour of travel each way” and moving heavy equipment. His efforts to expand resources and training for this kind of care may mean the burden continues to fall so heavily on his team alone.
As for the prize money, he said the $10,000 prize money will be donated to Access Dental Care for the purchase of new equipment.
The ADA Humanitarian Award is awarded annually by the organization's Board of Directors. Recipients are dentists who have dedicated their extraordinary time and professional skills to improving the oral health of underserved populations and have distinguished themselves through exceptional selfless leadership.
About the American Dental Association
The nonprofit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 159,000 dental members. A leading source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for public health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859.
Please contact the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health Communications Team. sphcomm@unc.edu.
