From Local Roots to Leading Smiles: The Journey of Dr. Sherwood Miler

Miler Orthodontics is the realized dream of Dr. Sherwood Miler, owner of this family-oriented  orthodontics practice which has two Lowcountry locations to serve its fast-growing patient  community. ‘Plough mud is in my blood,’ he’ll tell you, with equal parts awe and gratitude. Dr.  Miler was born and raised in the Charleston area and loves the Lowcountry. His distinct accent  has the warm sound of one born and bred in this special area of South Carolina. With such  affinity for this part of the South, it’s no surprise that Dr. Miler made the choice to stay close to  home for college. He completed his undergraduate degree at College of Charleston and lights  up when sharing about having met his wonderful wife Margaret there. As the story goes,  Sherwood’s younger sister, who also attended College of Charleston along with their older sister, met Margaret for coffee to offer input and advice about her Physician’s Assistant profession.  She wasted no time in urging her older brother to invite Margaret on a date, and the rest, as they  say, is history. Margaret would not only say yes to the date, but she would also go on to pursue  her PA degree and date and marry Dr. Miler!  

With two sisters and two brothers, Dr. Miler grew up in a large family living life among his  siblings as well as cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. ‘I was close to a lot of family  growing up, and that helped shape my life.’ It is clear that Dr. Miler grew up loving people and  feeling supported. One obvious outcome is his positive attitude. You can hear it in the words he  uses to highlight what he loves most about being in practice, which is the culture in the office.  ‘I love what I do. I feel blessed to be in this job. It’s happy and there’s a positive energy in our  practice. I love dentistry. I love to interact with people, work with my hands, and serve as a  small business owner. Early on, because of the strong influence of a cousin of mine whom I  greatly admire, I thought I would go in the direction of orthopaedics. But, over time, dentistry  captured my attention. I wanted to be a general dentist, and enjoyed practicing for four years in  the Navy, but then I stumbled into orthodontics and was inspired in a new way. In orthodontics,  most patients want to be there. I don’t have to sell people on anything. I’d have to say, the best  part of my job is the patient interaction. I love the fun energy of the adolescent age group I  work with most. They’re changing; they’re hitting growth spurts; they’re entering puberty or are  in the throes of it. It’s such a vital time in life, and I love being part of our families’ lives.’ 

A stellar student, particularly in the areas of math and science, Dr. Miler naturally developed an  interest in the medical field, specifically dentistry and later, orthodontics. His interest took him  from College of Charleston to MUSC Dental School. He graduated and went on to serve for  four years in active duty as a general dentist in the Navy, stationed at Parris Island. Dr. Miler is  a man who not only loves family, but also his country and the men and women who serve to  defend our freedom.  

So how in the world did he go from being a dentist to becoming an orthodontist? Well, four  years into their marriage, Dr. Miler and Margaret made the joint decision to pursue a new  adventure of moving to Atlanta where Dr. Miler began an orthodontic residency at the Georgia  School of Orthodontics. The Milers spent three years there while Dr. Miler was being trained as  an orthodontist. They reflect fondly on that vibrant time early in their marriage and are grateful  that they took that opportunity. For Dr. Miler, being able to specialize in orthodontics is an  attractive and exciting pursuit because he is charged by the fact that every person and every  case is different. He appreciates that practicing orthodontics demands that he employ superior  skill and creative problem-solving. He makes it his goal to meet each patient, listen to their  concerns and hopes, and create a customized orthodontics plan tailored to their unique  situation. 

This is where Dr. Miler’s gifting as a communicator distinguishes him among others. Given the  fact that communication is central to a positive patient experience, as anyone who has been to  the doctor can attest, Dr. Miler cares about and is responsive to patient input and feedback. He  is a good listener. With a knack for teaching, in addition to learning, he is able to articulate both  medical and practical information with patients and their families. He makes it his responsibility  to educate his patients about orthodontics, an innovative and fast-moving field. 

For example, Dr. Miler shares with patients that braces now range in options from metal to  ceramic to tooth-colored. He especially loves informing patients that traditional braces aren’t  the only option. In fact, Dr. Miler fits about a third of his patients with clear aligners, and they love  this choice. Patient treatment plans can be comprehensive, limited, or in the ‘re-treatment’  category, in the case of an adult who had braces at one time, but desires touch-up on a couple  of teeth. Dr. Miler sums it up this way: ‘The orthodontics landscape is dynamic. The industry  has changed a lot in the last two decades. We can meet the needs of a patient no matter how  broad-reaching or simple the objective. On the payment side, I like that we offer financing  plans. This makes the option of orthodontics accessible. Most of our patients pay monthly. It  works within most budgets because of its flexibility. We determine the treatment scope and  then divide the cost of care into manageable monthly payments. With it being a fixed amount,  it works for families who want to plan financially and avoid being surprised by the financial  aspect of their orthodontic care.’ 

Having grown up in a close-knit family that included extended family, Dr. Miler feels at home  among all of his patients whose ages run the gamut from elementary school to adult. With a  vision and mission encompassing both business and community, Dr. Miler is truly the  hometown orthodontist. His goal, and that of Miler Orthodontics as a whole, is to provide  personalized service in an atmosphere that is welcoming and comfortable. Having begun his  training in general dentistry, he is well-acquainted with the stress that is sometimes associated  with going to get your teeth worked on. He recalls his days as a dentist when his patients  would half-jokingly say, ‘I hate the dentist!’ Appreciative of their candor, Dr. Miler would light heartedly respond with: ‘We just met! Let me ask you, do you hate the dentist or dentistry?’ His  natural manner and disarming response quickly put anxious patients at ease. It’s this level of  patient connection, genuine compassion, and conversational banter that characterizes Dr.  Miler’s superb bedside manner. It sets him apart as an area orthodontist. The same considerate  and comfortable approach is practiced by his small team who knows their patients well, and  even knows the siblings who often accompany patients to their routine ortho appointments.  

From the moment you step inside the inviting, casually-appointed office, it’s clear that Miler  Orthodontics is about welcoming families and building trust. Miler Orthodontics is committed  to building the practice one family at a time. It’s a simple strategy rooted in their core  principles. Their objective is to cultivate a practice that stands out among the rest, where  patients, their siblings, and their parents feel personally cared for through the years. Dr. Miler  and his capable staff seek to achieve this by way of thorough communication and expert  orthodonture. Sometimes this involves interdisciplinary collaboration with other doctors. For  example, some patients seeking orthodontics come in with tonsil and adenoid conditions. In  such cases, Dr. Miler works closely with area ENT doctors in developing highly-tailored patient  treatment plans that reflect his skilled, holistic approach to orthodontics. 

Dr. Miler has a high regard for the broad-reaching scope of healthcare. In fact, he has a number of family members in healthcare, including his wife and sister who are PAs, a brother-in-law  who is an interventional radiologist in Charleston, a brother who is a radiology resident in  Virginia, a bother-in-law and father-in-law who are dentists, and a cousin who is an orthodontist. Drive and passion are hallmarks of this family, and it doesn’t take long to discern Dr.  Miler’s passion for life and living. Love of craft and love of people define Miler Orthodontics  because of Dr. Miler and his team. He and his team love what they do, and you don’t have to  wait to hear them say so. It translates in the genuine and attentive care they consistently  deliver. Their care portrays their dedication. Dr. Miler’s command of both general dentistry and  orthodontics, and his commitment to further his career through individualized patient care and  outstanding treatment delivery, make him one to watch among young orthodontists in the  Southeast.

Dr. Miler and his team share a camaraderie which makes for a happy and healthy workplace  where patients feel welcomed, comfortable, and taken care of. ‘Camaraderie’ is the word Dr.  Miler uses to describe what he loved about his service as a Navy dentist at Parris Island. He  maintains a strong connection with the military by working one day a month at Fort Stewart Army base in Georgia. There he serves at the dental clinic on base where an orthodontics  practice is set up as a specialty option. His monthly investment of time and travel to offer  orthodontics expertise to the men and women in uniform on the base reflects Dr. Miler’s love of  the military, his enjoyment of practicing orthodontics, and his commitment to helping a broad  swath of people.  

It’s no wonder that Dr. Miler sounds energetic when you talk to him. In addition to pouring  himself into his two-location practice and his Fort Stewart itinerant work, he and Margaret are  raising their two sons, Sherwood, V, and Charles, ages four and three respectively. The boys are only 14 months apart demanding that their Dad stay fit in mind, body, and  spirit, and ready for anything. While Dr. Miler values hard work, he also values intentional living,  not only as an orthodontist, but also as a family man. He and his family share a love of the  outdoors making boating, golfing, playing at the beach, playing in the yard, going on  adventures, and spending time with cousins and friends a regular part of their very full life.  

‘We live in a special part of the world in the Lowcountry. It’s a place to call home. I’m here for  the long term. My wife and I have our two children, Sherwood and Charles, and we are here. To  be a fixture as a business in the community, and to be a part of school, church, and local  activities, that’s a high privilege. We are here for the duration, and I believe that this approach  to life, living, and career means better communities and a better society as a whole.’ 

The humility and gratitude Dr. Miler possesses, in addition to his sharp intellect and extensive  expertise in his fields, epitomize his orthodontist profile. It is why families are making the  choice to go with Miler Orthodontics when they are seeking a fit for orthodontics for their  family. Miler Orthodontics occupies a unique niche. Dr. Miler is the one, in-house orthodontist of Miler Orthodontics. A patient of his will see him every time that individual has an appointment.  

Dr. Miler is committed not only to excellence in his practice, but also to personal connections  with his patients. He describes his practice as not just local, but ‘hyper-local.’ Being a  professional who is engaged and involved in a local church and the Chamber of Commerce, he  finds it special and meaningful to live, work, and do life in and among people doing the same.  In fact, he regularly runs into his patients in the community. Dr. Miler sees the total picture of  doing business in and being devoted to his community with like-minded people a worthy  pursuit. In his profession, he keeps current on orthodontic trends, techniques, and  philosophies. In his practice, he keeps current on his patients: their interests, activities, and  milestones. Dr. Miler is that rare doctor who doesn’t just have patients he sees, but actually  sees each patient who walks through the doors of Miler Orthodontics.

In his own words: 

Our Mission 

At Miler Orthodontics, we are in the business of creating smiles, but straightening teeth is only  one part of that job. Our mission is to provide the highest quality of care and overall experience  for our patients while creating healthy and confident smiles. We strive to foster an environment  that allows our patients and staff to be their best and to be engaged with the Lowcountry  community by supporting local organizations, businesses, and schools.    

Core Values 

• Excellence: to provide outstanding service, both clinically and personally, to all those with  whom we interact 
• Excitement: to foster a fun, trusting environment in which our patients receive care
• Empathy: to be a company that puts its patients and the community first