Published: November 02, 2007 11:13 pm      

‘Healthy Smiles Hero’

Dr. Gregory Dill is proud of the plaque he earned fighting plaque. After 18 years of serving Greenup, the dentist recently received a “Healthy Smiles Hero” award for his service to the rural community.

Only 24 dentists in Illinois received the award, and 19 honorees were recognized by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn at a ceremony in Springfield.

Dill received his degree from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1989. After working for the university for a few months, he moved to Greenup to begin his own practice, which he described as “a little scary,” especially since he had, at the time, just graduated from college.

After Evapco Inc. was built in Greenup, the Cumberland County Development Corporation (CCDC) wanted to bring in more businesses and contacted Dill’s parents with their interest of Dill starting a dental business in town.

Dill built his business in Greenup from the ground up in 1989 and opened in 1990. He said before he set up shop, there was no dental service provided in the small town.

“We wanted to be close to family,” said Dill, explaining why he decided to start a practice in Greenup.

“We gutted this building,” said Dill about his office. “We basically built a building in a building.”

Since that time, Dill and his wife, who are proud of the small, rural town, have spent a lot of their time volunteering through the health department by doing free screenings and educating students.

“We go to schools and speak about dental hygiene and we sponsor teams,” said Dill. “We are very happy and busy here.”

Dill said he had no idea he was being considered for the award, and found out three days before the ceremony. He said the weekend of the ceremony he and his wife Lisa had already planned to leave for Indianapolis, but what Dill did not know is his wife knew about the award ahead of time.

After hearing he won, he was shocked.

“Really? How?,” Dill said was his initial reaction, “I was surprised and didn’t know anything about it.”

Dill said his wife was in on the paperwork Sara Layton, CCDC director, had sent into the state regarding Dill.

“Sara called my wife to get information about me for the paperwork,” said Dill. “I have a supportive wife, who is very pleased and proud of me.”

He said it means a lot to him that his efforts have been recognized, especially by someone else.

“It’s nice to be recognized for trying,” said Dill. “I don’t do it for that, but it’s nice. When someone else does it (the paperwork), it means so much more.”

Nicole Eversole can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 128 or nicole.eversole@effinghamdailynews.com.