Dr. Hendrik J. van Mill
Practice limited to Endodontics
Hendrik (Rik) Johannes van Mill was born and raised in the city of Gorinchem. Coming from parents devoted to giving their children a better life after World War II, Rik was naturally encouraged to choose a profession in the footsteps of his father, so Rik went to a school for Civil Engineering in Dordrecht. He worked as a civil engineer in the Natural Gas business and later designed drilling platforms in the North Sea during the oil boom there. However, neither industry was an environment where Rik found his life’s calling.
As luck would have it, Rik underwent rather extensive dental treatment at the age of 25. Rik’s curiosity was awakened and 2 years later he enrolled in Dentistry at the Rijks Universiteit Utrecht. In 1982 Rik, with his wife Wilma, whom he had met in high school, opened a dental office in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. His interest in Endodontics was awakened by the dramatic results he obtained by applying the knowledge and techniques taught to him in Utrecht.
An American dentist pointed Rik towards Dr. Ruddle in the late 1980s. In the following years Rik, always with his wife Wilma, flew numerous times to Santa Barbara to get the latest on endodontic developments and techniques. Some years later, Dr. Ruddle encouraged Rik to start teaching in The Netherlands – A seminar business that has become a widely appreciated addition to post-academic seminars in Holland. In 1995 Rik’s practice became a referral office limited to Endodontics.
Rik and Wilma are still involved in dentistry, mainly in teaching. They sail a beautiful boat, a Comfortina 39, on the North Sea, English Channel and the Baltic. They apply the same principle in sailing as Dr. Ruddle teaches in Endo: To get where you want to be, you have to constantly adjust your course.