1932-2021

figure 1

Keith Millman was born in Gunnislake, Cornwall in 1932. He graduated from Guy's in 1957, and after a house job had to choose between academia or practical dentistry. He was advised to do a 'taster' in general dental practice. He often said this was the best piece of advice he ever received. After brief assistant posts in North Wales and Somerset, he set up a practice in Kingsbridge, South Devon. This became enormously successful and patients would travel from far and wide to seek Keith's expertise.

He soon became involved in the activities of the Western Counties Branch of the BDA and was elected the Branch Secretary in 1968. He was a member of the BDA's Representative Board for 20 years, and during that time, he served on the General Dental Services Committee, the Ethics Committee, and from 1977 to 1985, he was a BDA Council member. He chaired the GDSC's Working Party on 'Informal Procedures for the Sick Dentist' which heralded the Dentists Health Support Trust.

He retired from being the Branch Secretary in 1974 but remained a Branch Council member for many years, helping to organise the Annual BDA Conference in Torquay in 1975. In 1978, he was the Western Counties Branch President in its Centenary Year. For 25 years, he was a member of the Local Dental Committee, and its Chairman from 1979-1983. Over this period he served in various capacities on the SW Regional Health Authority, the Devon Heath Authority and the Devon FPC.

In 1988, he was appointed MBE by the Queen for services to dentistry and, in 1996, the Fellowship of the British Dental Association.

Early retirement from practice followed a stroke while skiing in France in 1996, and this allowed him to devote more time to his passion, photography. He contributed pictures to many exhibitions, particularly macro-photography of plants and insects. In Kingsbridge, he was an active member of the Operatic Society, having sung as a boy soprano at school, and with the Royal Choral Society under Sir Malcolm Sargent whilst at Guy's.

In all that he achieved, he was wonderfully supported by his wife, Tricia, who he married in 1957. Sadly, she passed away not long after their Diamond wedding anniversary. They had three children: Andrew, Adrian and Valerie. He will be greatly missed by them, his six grandchildren, and by his many friends, colleagues and patients.

William Beare and John M. G. Hunt