Dr. Harold Miller

Dr. H. Franklin Miller passed away on January 11, 2011 with his family at his side, and Memphis lost a pillar of the dental community. Dr. Miller loved his family, his dental practice of more than 50 years, and the church. He always joked that he wanted to “go out” standing next to his dental chair and he almost did. After a full day at work on Thursday, he suffered a catastrophic stroke on Friday, January 7, 2011.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, his two sons, Taylor and Don, his daughters-in-law Dana and Linda, his three grandchildren Taylor, Jack and Will, and his sister, Doris Miller Colvard.

Dr. Miller was born in Memphis on December 18, 1934 to Max and Ollie Miller. After attending Central High School and the University of Memphis, he graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry, finishing #1 in his class in 1956 at the age of 22. He was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Dental Corp for three years, serving at Parris Island, S.C. and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after which he returned to Memphis to live and build his dental practice.

Over the course of almost 55 years of practicing dentistry, he was involved in most aspects of the profession. He was an early advocate for fluoridation in Memphis and was instrumental in its success. Among his faculty, hospital and governmental appointments are the following. He was on the Tennessee Board of Dentistry from 1982 to 1988, serving as the Vice-President from 1986 to 1988. He was on The Dental Advisory Committee to the Tennessee Commission of Public Health from 1972 to 1989. He was a Dental Consultant with the Tennessee Department of Vocational Technical Education from 1972 to 1975. He was on the Dental Advisory Committee on Medicaid from 1973 to 1979. He was a Preceptor in Clinical Dentistry at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry from 1975 to 1982. He was a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry from 1964 to the present. He was on the staff of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital from 1962 to 1970.

He was a member of many professional organizations including the American Dental Association, which he joined in 1956. He was very active as a member of the American Dental Association Political Action Committee (ADPAC). In 1973 he was appointed to ADPAC where he was chairman from 1981 to 1983, a member of the executive committee from 1976 to 1983 and the Director from 1975 to 1983. He was a member of the American Dental Association House of Delegates in 1972 and 1982 to 1988. He was a member of the Tennessee Dental Association beginning in 1956, where he was Vice-President from 1971 to 1972 and Trustee from 1973 to 1974. He was a member of the Tennessee Dental Association Political Action Committee beginning in 1973, where he was chairman from 1973 to 1981 and was Director from 1973 to 1989. He was a member of the Memphis Dental Society beginning in 1956, where he was on the Council on Constitution and By-Laws from 1976 to 1978, the Legislative Committee Chairman in 1978 as well as the Fluoridation Committee.

He received a number of honors including the following. He was elected A Fellow of the American College of Dentists in 1971 of which he was on a number of committees including the President’s Committee to Develop Advertising Guidelines in 1988. He was elected a Fellow of the International College of Dentists in 1979, serving as Deputy Regent from 1988 to 1989. He received the Tennessee Dental Association Fellowship Award in 1979. He received the Memphis Dental Society Distinguished Service Award in 1963 and he was Parliamentarian from 1987 to 1988, Professional Relations Committee Chairman from 1973 to 1974, Institution Committee Chairman from 1964 to 1965, the Installation Committee Chairman in 1973, 1974 and 1980, and the Nominating Committee Chairman in 1965, 1974, 1975 and 1986. He was co-chairman of the Mike Overby ADA President Elect Campaign in 1988. He was a chairman of the Jeff Justis Appreciation Dinner Committee in 1982.

Professional affiliations included the University of Tennessee Dental Alumni Association, where he was President from 1984 to 1985 and on the Board of Trustees from 1980 to 1989. He was a member of the American Association of Dental Examiners beginning in 1982. He was a member of the Southern Association of Dental Deans and Examiners beginning in 1982. He was a member of the Southern Regional Testing Agency beginning in 1982 and a Chief Examiner from 1986 to 1988. He was elected a member of the Federation Dentaire International beginning in 1974. He was elected to the Academy of General Dentistry in 1972 and was the Director of the Tennessee chapter from 1974 to 1978. He was a member of the Shelby Dental Study club beginning in 1970. He was a member of the American Academy of the History of Dentistry beginning in 1970. He was a member of The Delta Sigma Delta Dental Fraternity, Kappa Kappa chapter from 1953 to 1956 and the Supreme chapter from 1956 to 1989.

He received many honors including the following. He was elected to the R.D. Dean and M.T. Dean Honorary Odontological Society in 1955 and the Omicorn Kappa Upsilon Psi Chapter in 1956 as well as the Pierre Fauchard Academy in 1960.

Dr. Miller was instrumental in the formation of Trinity Baptist Church, Cordova and is a member of Independent Presbyterian Church. He was affiliated with Chickasaw Country Club for 50 years, Memphi Secret Society, the English Speaking Union and Kappa Sigma fraternity.

A memorial service will be held at Independent Presbyterian Church at 11:00 a.m. Friday, January 14, 2011 with a reception to follow. The officiates will be The Reverend Richie Sessions, Senior Pastor and Dr. Earl Davis of Boone, North Carolina. The family requests that memorials be sent to Independent Presbyterian Church or The Salvation Army.