Dentists help fill the surgery gap

By Sarah Schwager
Pakenham’s dental surgery has been demolished but only to bring local health services together.
The building on the Main Street site was first demolished in 1977 after the old shop and bakehouse made way for the dental surgery.
The story made front page of the Gazette after the Pakenham Lions Club volunteered to pull down the building.
The materials were sold and the proceeds donated to the Pakenham Hospital Nursing Home Appeal.
Dentist Howard Hocking said, after 30 years, they had decided to rebuild once more to bring more health services closer together.
The new building will fit in three businesses with a main entrance at the front and a large car park at the rear.
Dr Pradolin and Dr Hocking Dental Surgeons will move into the rear offices when the building is completed in the middle of the year, and will celebrate 30 years in Pakenham.
The surgery is temporarily located at 56 Main Street.
Chelmer Imaging Group will lease the middle offices, providing imaging and xrays for locals.
It is currently located further away from the shopping district at 25 Main Street.
Dr Hocking said the front offices were still up for grabs.
“We might try to get a specialist, maybe a physiotherapist or a chiropractor,” he said.
“We wanted to get more medical people together as the town progresses.”