Meet Dr. Harju

Education and Continuing Education

Dr. Harju received his DMD (Doctor Of Dentistry in Medicine) degree from Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine in 2001. His education continues to this day, as he avidly pursues continuing education. To stay at the top of his knowledge and skills, he completes over two times the hours of Continuing Education required by the State of Ohio. His greatest interests are aesthetic dentistry, treating TMJ problems, dental sleep medicine (snoring and apnea treatment), and biologic/systemic dentistry (treating patients with their systemic health in mind).

In the Practice

My favorite part of dentistry is seeing transformation in patients through relationship-based care. I try hard to listen to my patients. I truly love getting to know my patients personally. As my dentist hero Dr. L.D. Pankey once said, "I never saw a tooth walking into my practice."

I find that I learn just as much from our patients as they learn from me. They may come in to see us the first time feeling uncomfortable with their mouths, or disappointed with they way dentistry has not been able to help them in the past. I love to see them change from discouraged to hopeful early in our relationship. And in time, through the course of treatment, they become trusting friends.

We have a state-of-the art facility that has all the important new technology, such as digital imaging and digital X-rays. We do everything we can to keep dentistry "bio-safe." We use specialized barriers and air filtration to avoid patients being exposed to harmful mercury when removing silver amalgam fillings. I don't place any mercury containing fillings.

We are doing our best to become a green business. We have special water filtration that keeps heavy metals from entering the city's waste water, we filter the air to remove mercury vapors and VOC's, and send as much waste as we can to a local recycling facility.

Family Life

Most important to Dr. Harju, is his family. He and his wife, Rebecca, have 5 children: Gabe, Lily, Caroline, Analeigh, and Oliver.

More than anything, I enjoy time with my family. Together we like spending time in the outdoors, biking, hiking, and most recently fishing. I coach my kids' soccer teams, and also enjoy reading and church activities.