Bill Milner, DDS, has been named the 2023 recipient of the American Dental Association's Humanitarian Award.
Dr. Milner serves patients at Access Dental Care, an Asheboro, N.C.-based nonprofit clinic for underserved patients, including those at nursing home facilities and group homes, PACE participants and under the Central North Carolina Health Network HIV/AIDS program.
Dr. Milner spent the first 25 years of his career working with the North Carolina Department of Human Services' Oral Health Section and the Randolph County Health Department to create dental clinical programs for residents, according to a Jan. 9 news release from the ADA. He then formed the North Carolina Dental Society Committee on Aging, which worked to improve care for elderly patients and those with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
He founded Access Dental Care in 2000, and it now serves patients in 33 counties. The practice also runs a specialty clinic and provides care at several hospitals in the state.
The ADA presents the award to dentists dedicated to improving the oral health of underserved patients. In addition to the award, the ADA donates $10,000 to a charity or project of the recipient's choice, according to the release.