About Hearing Care Center
Hearing Care Center was founded by Dr. Paul Milner, an audiologist with over 40 years of experience, because he wanted to offer compassionate hearing healthcare following his own sense of what’s right for the client. He believes in spending time with clients as individuals, finding out what’s important for them to hear and building relationships of trust and comfort. Above all, Hearing Care Center aims to give clients personalized care in a comfortable, welcoming environment.
Paul spent years working at major hospitals and clinics. While he was able to help many clients during this time, and he was given many opportunities to practice his skills, he was dissatisfied with the level of client care. He didn’t like how quickly he had to move from client to client instead of taking the time he needed to really get to know each one and give them the best service. He also felt that clients would have a better experience if they saw the same audiologist or team of audiologists each visit. Hearing Care Center was established to do what’s right by the client, no matter what it takes.
Why We Are Different
At Hearing Care Center, we offer expert care and exceptional service to all clients. Drop by and you’ll see for yourself how warm and friendly our office is. Look at the credentials of our hearing healthcare professionals and you’ll know you’re coming to some of the best audiologists in the Sharon area. Even our staff members have been working with members of the deaf and hard of hearing community for years, and they’re happy to share their knowledge with you, whether it’s communicating in American Sign Language or connecting you with area resources.
Our professional colleagues recognize and respect our expertise. Not only are our audiologists leaders in their field, we’re also qualified as a training facility for audiological students as well as hearing instrument specialist apprentices. This extra support means you’ll have an even stronger team supporting you and your hearing healthcare.
Paul Milner, Ph.D., CCC-A - Audiologist & Owner
Dr. Paul Milner has over 45 years of experience in hearing and hearing disorders, scientific and clinical research, and applications related to acoustics, broadcast and recording technologies. In 1989, Paul decided to open a private audiology practice in his hometown of Sharon with the goal of providing personalized and caring services for people with hearing loss.
Paul received his Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from The City University of New York Graduate School after completing studies in engineering and communications at MIT and Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, NY. His clinical research investigated speech understanding by the hard of hearing.
Prior to opening Hearing Care Center, Paul was a clinical and research audiologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston. For 17 years, he was an audiological and technical consultant to the audiology program in the department of otolaryngology and communication disorders at Children’s Hospital in Boston.
He has also worked with people who were profoundly deaf and receiving cochlear implants at the Veteran’s Administration in West Haven, CT, and at Yale Medical School. Paul has been on the part-time faculty of Northeastern University, Bridgewater State University, the University of Rhode Island, Emerson College, and Worcester State University where he taught courses in audiology, speech, and hearing sciences to both undergraduate and graduate students and provided clinical supervision. He is also a technical expert trainer for Frye Electronics, a manufacturer of hearing aid test systems, and was an advanced technology consultant to Siemens Hearing Instruments.
Paul’s credentials include:
- Board Certified in Audiology® by the American Board of Audiology
- Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC—A)
- Licensed as an audiologist by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Professional memberships include:
- Fellow and founding president of the Massachusetts Academy of Audiology
- Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology
- Member of the Acoustical Society of America
- Member of the Massachusetts Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Paul is also active in community organizations, including:
- Rotary Club of Sharon, MA
- Sharon Council on Aging (former Chair and Board Member)
- Boston Audio Society
- Symphony NOVA (former Board Member)
- The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves
When Paul opened Hearing Care Center, his wife, Ione, gave him a jade elephant for good luck. Not only has Hearing Care Center thrived for the past 27 years, but scores of elephants can be found throughout the whole office, interspersed among his collection of antique hearing aids.
Paul’s collection of elephants and antique hearing aids
Judy Learner Nichols, MS, CCC-A - Audiologist
Judy Learner Nichols has over 40 years of experience in the field of audiology. Her sincere warmth and interest in helping people are vital contributions to the client care provided at Hearing Care Center. She joined the staff in October 2007 as an expert in fitting and fine-tuning digital hearing aids.
Judy received her Master in Audiology degree from the University of Arizona. Her professional experience is varied, having provided audiologic and hearing aid management for adults and children. Judy began her career as an educational audiologist in a private school setting and as the primary audiologist at a community hospital, both of which served people of all ages. She also trained as a parent-infant specialist in Portland, OR, where she worked closely with families of infants with hearing loss.
Prior to joining the staff of Hearing Care Center, Judy was a representative and trainer for a major hearing aid manufacturer for 20 years, which gave her the opportunity to work with audiologists and hearing aid specialists throughout New England. Judy is a licensed audiologist in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, her credentials and affiliations include:
- Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Member of the Massachusetts Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology
- Fellow of the Massachusetts Academy of Audiology
Kim Marie Nicols, MSW, MA - Customer Relations Manager
Kim Marie Nicols has extensive experience working with Deaf and hard of hearing people primarily in the fields of social work and education. She joined the staff of Hearing Care Center in December 2007 and provides front office coverage, develops the marketing and promotional materials and events, posts on the Facebook page, and advises hearing aid users and their families about available resources.
Kim Marie earned a Master of Educational Administration and Supervision degree at the National Leadership Training Program in the Field of Deafness at California State University at Northridge. She also has a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College, specializing in Clinical Social Work with the Hearing Impaired. She is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and trained as an oral interpreter.
Before coming to Hearing Care Center, Kim Marie was employed by the EDCO Collaborative’s Mainstream Program for Deaf and hard of hearing middle school students in Newton, MA, where she was a school counselor for five years. Prior to that position, she served for 13 years as the Boston case manager at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She has also worked at the New England Home for the Deaf, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and The Learning Center for Deaf Children. For several years, Kim Marie was a part-time therapist with Ione G. Milner (Dr. Paul Milner’s wife), through the Psychotherapy Collaborative at Hearing Care Center.
Active in local politics, Kim Marie serves as an elected member of the Needham School Committee, has worked on numerous campaigns and ballot initiatives, and is a Needham Town Meeting member.
Kim Marie fills the notebooks in the waiting room with comics related to hearing loss and hearing aids.
Nancy R. Weiner, ABA - Client Information Manager
Nancy Wiener joined the staff of Hearing Care Center in September 2012.
She is responsible for maintaining our client database and providing direct communication with all of our clients. She also handles the insurance billing for companies that provide hearing aid coverage. Nancy is the one you will most likely speak with to set up an appointment or retrieve information from your file—and, if we haven’t seen you for a while, you can count on her to give you a friendly follow-up call!
Prior to joining Hearing Care Center, Nancy worked as an advertising and marketing executive for a local yellow page/internet company for 14 years. She also has an extensive background in retail management and marketing from her many years as co-owner of several small retail establishments in the Boston/Cambridge area.
Nancy and her husband are longtime residents of Sharon, where they have raised their two children and have been active members of the community.
Interns and Apprentices
Hearing Care Center has been a training facility for graduate students enrolled in 4-year Doctor of Audiology programs over 20 years. Interns have learned under our certified Audiologists for three to six months, while externs have worked full time for one year. Our Doctoral students have come from:
- Northeastern University in Boston, MA
- University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA
- Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO
- Gallaudet University, Washington, DC
Each one has been an asset to our office, demonstrating excellent clinical and interpersonal skills. They are all welcomed colleagues to the field of audiology.
In addition, Hearing Care Center has offered a 12-month apprenticeship, leading to licensure for a Hearing Instrument Specialist.
Ione G. Milner, MSW, LICSW - Therapist
Ione Milner, the wife of Dr. Paul Milner, founded the Psychotherapy Collaborative at Hearing Care Center in 1989, where she provided mental health services to people with hearing loss along with Kim Marie Nicols. Since she retired from the Massachusetts Department of Social Services, Ione has been employed as a fulltime therapist at United Health Associates located in Sharon and Attleboro.
Phyllis Cohen - Retired
Phyllis Cohen was an associate at Hearing Care Center for 22 years. She cheerfully answered the telephone and covered front office duties, dealt with insurance companies, and cleaned and cared for hearing aids. She is a missed member of the staff, but often drops by to visit.
Request an Appointment
Our Office
450 North Main Street
at Cobb’s Corner
Sharon, MA 02067
P 781-784-1944
F 781-784-1933
Office Hours
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat & Sun
9:30AM – 5:30PM
9:30AM – 5:30PM
Closed
9:30AM – 5:30PM
Closed
Closed
