Public Employees' Benefit Board My Story -- Scott Harrra

www.oregon.gov

Text Size: A+| A-| A | Text Only Site | Accessibility

Public Employees' Benefit Board

Department

My Story -- Scott Harrra

Back in the Chair

Forget past experiences.

Back in the Chair


	DAS Director Scott Harra

DAS’ Director faces his fears of the dentist and vows never to go another 20 years without a check up again.

by Scott Rupp, OEBB Communications Coordinator

His girlfriend made him do it.

Without her grousing, Scott Harra, new Director of the Department of Administrative Services, probably still wouldn’t have visited his dentist.

She convinced him to have a check up and some maintenance done and Harra finally returned to the dentist’s chair for the first time in 20 years.

“My girlfriend said I had to go. She set the appointment and I was stressed,” Harra said matter-of-factly, “and I let them know that.”

The results of his visit are not typical.

For not having visited the dentist for nearly two decades, Harra needed only a few fillings replaced, some teeth cleaning and the removal of some built up tooth scales. He said his dentist, though not recommending a 20-year hiatus for anyone, was impressed. Harra gave the credit for his good teeth to his family and genes.

But after his most recent trips back to the chair, he said he wouldn’t again go so long without seeing the dentist -- or any other healthcare provider -- either.


Forget past experiences.

He makes one suggestion: investigate your doctors and their practices to make sure they are right for you. Check around, ask friends, even gather references. Another thing that made returning to the chair easier for him is how dental tools, technology and practices have changed, plus devices such as iPods make distracting oneself easier. In Harra’s case, he turns up the tunes and reads whatever his dentist has posted on the ceiling. “It’s actually quite distracting,” he said jokingly. But seriously, “Care has changed quite a bit. There’s a far greater emphasis on pain-free dentistry.” As for this time around, “These have been as pleasant as trips to the dentist as you could expect them to be,” he said. “My dentist describes the process beforehand, and that’s a good thing so I knew what is going to happen before he begins. “Like many things, you really have to face your fears to overcome them. And as important as healthcare is, you’re not doing a good thing by putting it off. Plus, preventive care is far less expensive than treating a diagnosed problem. “Besides, I like my teeth,” he said, smiling. “That doesn’t mean my dentist and I are best friends, but I have pretty much taken up the brushing and flossing twice a day, and visits to his office will become a regular thing.”

Page updated: April 14, 2008

Adobe Reader is required to view PDF files. Click the "Get Adobe Reader" image to get a free download of the reader from Adobe.