If it wasn’t for a football accident in elementary school, Mark Hochhalter may have a chosen another profession other than dentistry.
But has fate had it, he lost some front teeth that required extensive visits to his orthodontist.
Hochhalter also had an uncle who was a dentist.
For 34 years, he had his practice with Valley Oak Dental Group, serving patients who became his family.
“I hoped you felt like ‘family’ when you came to the office,” he said during his retirement in February. “I will dearly miss seeing you, hearing about your lives and loved ones, and helping you with your dental needs.”
Hochhalter also considered becoming a doctor at a young age. “I was always good in the science,” he said.
Not only that, but Hochhalter was good at understanding the needs of his patients. He’s originally from Bakersfield and attended dental school in San Francisco.
He came to Manteca to join several of his dental school classmates. Valley Oak Dental, 1507 W. Yosemite Ave., specializes in general and cosmetic dentistry, pediatric dentistry and oral surgery.
Valley Oak Dental, in 1980, became the first office of its kind in the area with Saturday and Sunday business hours. The reason for that was to accommodate commuters.
“We’ve always had plenty of commuters to the Bay Area living right here in Manteca,” Hochhalter said.
He indicated that the Sunday hours were discontinued about 10 years ago. But Valley Oak Dental still maintains its Saturdays and evening hours.
Now that he’s officially retired, Hochhalter, who lives in Stockton, can now spend more time with family. Included are his two grown children now living in the Bay Area.
Neither followed in their father’s footsteps. “One is an accountant while the other works in the Financial District in the City,” said Hochhalter.
He enjoys playing the French horn. “I play (it) at church and the community band,” Hochhalter added.
His retirement also includes spending time playing tennis with his group at Oak Park, In-Shape Stockton-Marina or In-Shape Stockton-West Lane.
“I enjoying staying active,” he said. “I’m looking forward to (continue) going to the gym.”
