Flood recovery better than expected

When the devastating January floods made their way along parts of rural Victoria, one of the towns in its path was Rochester. Dr Daniel Lavery suddenly found his dental practice was filled with knee-deep water and silt when the nearby Campaspe River broke its banks, splitting the town of 3000 people in two.

Dr Lavery feared the worst as the floor boxes of his dental chairs were under water between the flood peak on Saturday and Monday when it was possible to gain access to the building.

"I feared the worst and if I had to replace all three chairs - one of which is only 2 and a half years old - I don't think I would have carried on and it would have been an early retirement for me."

However, thanks to the quick efforts of Melbourne A-dec dealer, Bill Stoney of Alldent, who came to Dr Lavery's aid, all the chairs were saved.

"Bill replaced two of the pumps in the chairs as a precaution, cleaned out the electrics and modules on the others, hosed them down and cleaned them with alcohol," Dr Lavery said.

"When he started them up, they were perfectly fine and looking at them now, you'd never know they'd been underwater."

Not everything emerged undamaged and the compressor motors and air conditioning units -which had been completely submerged - were lost.

However, just weeks after the devastation, with the carpets, part of the gyprock walls and all reception furniture and desk replaced, the practice is like new again and it's business as usual for Dr Lavery and his associate, Dr Anup Shenai.

"I really owe a lot to Bill Stoney who made the three hour trip out here three times and was here from 9 o'clock Sunday night and was under the building at 4:30am Monday morning trying to sort out my suction. Cattani were very generous as well in helping out with a replacement compressor and suction unit, as were other suppliers.

"Although I wouldn't want to go through it again, this sort of thing brings out the very best in people and I am indebted to a lot of people in the town for their encouragement and support," Dr Lavery said.