Willoughby D. Miller

Willoughby Dayton Miller ( born August 1, 1853 in Alexandria, Ohio; † July 27, 1907 in Newark, Ohio) was an American Dental scientists.

Originally, he had studied at the University of Michigan chemistry, physics and mathematics, and in 1875 acquired academic degrees in these subjects. He then went to Berlin to further his studies in chemistry and physics here. On the advice of his compatriot Dr. Frank Abbott, who practiced as a dentist in Berlin, he turned to dentistry. In 1884, he became the first foreigner a professorship at a German university, and indeed for operational dentistry at the University of Berlin. He also studied bacteriology at Robert Koch and received a PhD degree in general medicine.

His major work "The Microorganisms of the Human Mouth " was released in 1890 and introduced the groundbreaking and still valid theory, according to which bacteria of the oral flora break down carbohydrates into acids, which in turn decalcify the enamel, then bacteria can penetrate into the tooth and destroy the dentin. So he put the dental research on a sound biological basis. All scientific work in the field of caries prevention since then based on Miller's research.

Miller spent six years as President of the Central Association of German dentists. At the 4th International Meeting of dental practitioners in St. Louis in 1904 he was elected president of the Fédération Dentaire Internationale. On this occasion he was offered to take over the management of the Dental Faculty of the University of Michigan. In July 1907 he returned with his family back to the U.S., but died of a disease caused by a ruptured appendix, peritonitis, before he could assume office. The newly established Institute took over the envisaged as Miller's assistant, Dr. Russell Bunting, who continued Miller's works.

A dental instrument bears his name - the Miller needle.