Staff writer
The coming departure of a longtime Marion dentist leaves his patients in a state of uncertainty.
Gerald Vinduska has, since 1997, been at the helm of a dental practice begun by his father, Eugene Vinduska, in 1961.
Vinduska and his family will move to Hutchinson for family matters.
“My family and I have made some tough choices the past six months, and we are soon going to be relocating to Hutchinson,” Vinduska wrote in a letter to patients now posted on his website. “As you may know, our oldest son is mentally disabled, and we have been looking for a community that offers activities and services for adults with intellectual disabilities, now that he has graduated from high school.”
Vinduska sees patients 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. That will remain the same until March 28.
After that date, Connie Andrews will see patients in Marion on Mondays and Tuesdays and Vinduska will see patients on Fridays into the summer.
Meanwhile, Vinduska hopes to sell the practice.
The retirement of a Herington dentist and the death of a Peabody dentist increased demand for dental services at the Marion office, Vinduska said.
“Our little three operatory office has struggled to treat the vast periodontal problems and restorative needs of this area,” Vinduska said.
Vinduska will become dental director at Health Ministries Clinic in Newton.
Should Vinduska not find a buyer for the clinic, Dr. Heshun Shawn Chen in Peabody and Hillsboro Dental Care would be the only dental care providers in the county.