Featured Business
Randall Freed, DMD
 Some lucky people figure out what they want to do early in life. Such
was the case with Randy Freed, who has a practice on Cornell.
Someone asked him what he wanted to be when he was in the eighth
grade, and when “dentist” came
out of his mouth, he realized that was what he wanted.
Freed grew up in the Cedar Mill area and still lives less than
two miles north of his office. A local boy all around, he graduated from
what’s
now OHSU in 1976. He served a one-year residency in the US Public Health
Service, and then found a practice to join at his current location at 12887
NW Cornell Road. Eventually he bought out his partner and now owns the building,
which he shares with another dentist, Nathan Tanner.
Freed’s building is right in the middle of the Cornell Road construction
project, and it does cause inconvenience. “Our employees are having
to park elsewhere, but as to our clients, I don’t think we’ve
lost anybody because of it,” he says. “We are looking forward
to the area being more pedestrian-friendly. I think it will result in a more
defined business area.” With the new limited-access configuration, his
lot shares a driveway with the carwash and bakery.
“Dentistry gives me the opportunity to combine science and art,” Freed
explains. “And I can provide a service to people that they can’t
do for themselves.” He also finds it satisfying to do something that can
make a huge impact on people’s happiness and well-being.
In addition to making people look and feel good, oral health has recently
been connected to heart health, Freed explains. Infection or inflammations
in the mouth have been linked to heart inflammation that can lead to a heart
attack. “Getting
regular cleaning and checkups
can help you stay healthy. “Just because something looks good doesn’t
mean it’s healthy or biomechanically sound,” he
says.
Have there been recent advances in dental health? “Automatic toothbrushes
are great,” he mentions, “but it’s mostly because they have
a two-minute timer built in so people brush longer. That’s the important
part.”
And what about people’s fear of dentistry? “Dentistry is a very complicated “marriage” of
art and science that requires delivery to, sometimes, very apprehensive patients,” he
explains. “A perfect restoration is easy on the perfect tooth with a perfect
patient. The challenge comes when things aren’t perfect. I believe we treat
our patients like we would want to be treated, with compassion, with a sense
of what’s right. And we discuss all their options to reach their best solution,” he
states.
Dr. Freed joined the Cedar Mill Business Association a couple of
years ago, he says, because he wants to be part of what’s going on in the business community.
He feels the Town Center project will add to the business area’s viability.
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