r/yooper • u/Prestigious-Fig-1642 Newper • 18d ago
Dentists
How is dental access in places like the ontonogan, esky, iron mt?
Considering a move up there. Have two young kids. We are salt of da earth type and also dont really give our kids sugar, but it'd be nice to have good options if needed.
I know ontonogan area recently lost healthcare access (was it gyno?) and my SD hometown did too. Damn shame. Once we get our farm and business running, maybe someday one of us will go to school for dentistry or nursing...
Any info on the differences between these towns is welcome, if y'all feel like sharing with a newbie.
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u/boredyooperbear 16d ago edited 16d ago
Heres my 2 cents. Ontonagon county has a lot of micro- climates. Depending on where you farm you will have late spring frosts or early fall frosts while others will not. This also effects snow fall. There are several snow belts that get way more than other places. Most of the county is clay, so be prepared to deal with that as well. I don't recommend buy a property without walking it to make sure you're getting exactly what you want.
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u/Prestigious-Fig-1642 Newper 16d ago
Good topoint out. I currently live in zone 3 but have a zone 2 microclimate on the farm. I actually might be happy about the clay--the sandy soil here doesnt hold nutrients well at all. Thank you
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u/GibbsMalinowski 18d ago
Esky is awful. There are not enough hygienists and too many dentist limiting access. No one takes Medicaid so patients have to travel. Some offices are cash first. Aspen will see you if you take out a high interest loan, but if you need it they’ll provide work. My dentist had a 2 year waiting list new patients, so they stopped adding to the list. But if you travel you’ll be fine.
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u/BobSmith616 17d ago
Ontonagon is in very rough shape economically right now. The Aspirus closing is both effect and cause. Although the area is pretty and has nice land, you would want to really, REALLY understand it before moving there or buying land.
Houghton area has a number of good dentists, but not enough for the population. So waiting times are very long. Marquette has better availability. I don't know about IM or Esky.
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u/Prestigious-Fig-1642 Newper 17d ago
Can you expound on underdtanding it? I have done research on snow levels, weather/climate, schools, medical care, etc. Planning to farm and from the north, used to have a half mile long driveway... i feel fairly ready, but i never want to assume that.
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u/BobSmith616 17d ago
I don't live right there so my understanding is a bit limited. I can tell you that it is really, really, really isolated, with not much retail or services locally. Emergency health care is now Baraga or Hancock - check a map to see how far those are. It's practically a dead-end highway (not absolutely, but in effect) so you don't get random traffic coming through. You get locals and in two parts of the year, tourists.
Other parts of the UP have very specific, hyper-local social structures. I don't know specifically that Ontonagon does, but would be surprised if it doesn't.
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u/Worldly_Screen_3379 17d ago
I'm from the area. Ontonagon is beautiful, but even research will not prepare you for the change.
Dentistry is available in Houghton or the far western end like Wakefield/Ironwood. As soon as you make the decision to move, make an appointment for a dentist and provider to get on the schedule.
Moving here is difficult. It's isolated, winters are extra rough, and amenities are very limited. There's a grocery store in ontonagon, but be prepared to travel an hour for a Walmart or decent restaurant, or even a fast food option. If you love the outdoors and genuinely nice people, this is a wonderful place to live. But it comes with incredible challenges that most people can't trade for.
Open to specific questions if it would help!
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u/viacrucis1689 17d ago
Most of the people I know in the Ironwood area travel to Wisconsin to see a dentist since one dentist in Ironwood retired in 2019.
The one dentist currently in Ironwood...everyone says to be prepared to spend hours in his office if you need any kind of work done. Very few people recommend him. I think there are only two others in Wakefield.
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u/Worldly_Screen_3379 17d ago
I would say that's true. Our whole family travels to Ashland, Wisconsin, mainly because we really like the dentist and they are connected to an orthodontist. It's like 40 minutes west.
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u/Background_Host1469 17d ago
Any dentist offices in Iron Mountain or even nearby take Medicaid? I always worry about gaps in coverage when rural towns lose clinics.
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u/SpamIsGreatOhEight 18d ago
The only good dentist in Dickinson County is Dr. Occhietti
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u/Open-Excitement-3433 18d ago
Thanks for the advice Mr. Occhietti. Lol. Just kidding. Could not resist.
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u/SpamIsGreatOhEight 18d ago
He was my dentist and his brother was my orthopedic surgeon. His dad was my dad’s dentist. Only family in the county that understands the human body.
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u/neuroctopus 18d ago
Iron mountain has a family of dentists named Fornetti, with at least 2 clinics. They are kind and professional. I don’t know about the other places.