Community Health Center

THUNDER BAY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE - ONAWAY

21258 M 68 Hwy, Onaway, MI 49765-9663

THUNDER BAY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE - ONAWAY is a community health center dental clinic in Onaway, MI, operated by Thunder Bay Community Health Service, which runs 2 clinics in Michigan.

The health center is open about 53 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.

Clinic Details

Address21258 M 68 Hwy, Onaway, MI 49765
Phone989-733-2082
Operated byThunder Bay Community Health Service
ProgramHealth Center Program (federally funded)
Site scheduleFull-Time
Operating calendarYear-Round

Costs and Coverage

Fees follow an income-based scale, so the same treatment costs different patients different amounts. The scale belongs to Thunder Bay Community Health Service, not to a national schedule, so the only reliable figure is the one they give you. Get the assessment done first; it changes what the whole plan costs, not just the first visit. Our guide to applying for the discount lists the documents to bring.

No Medicaid registration has been recorded for this clinic, which is not the same as Medicaid being refused. Michigan decides its own adult dental benefit, which ranges from comprehensive to emergency extractions only depending on the state and the year. Children are covered everywhere. The Medicaid dental page covers how to check yours.

Dental Services

The treatments available at this clinic are not listed publicly. Health center dental programs usually cover examinations, cleanings, X-rays, fillings and extractions; root canals, dentures and oral surgery are the ones that vary, and are often referred out.

Dental Providers at This Clinic

Alongside general dentistry, providers registered in dental hygiene, for cleanings and preventive care practice at this address. That is not the same as the clinic taking new patients for those treatments, or the discount covering them, so name the treatment when you call.

Planning Your Visit

21258 M 68 Hwy, Onaway, MI 49765

The published number is 989-733-2082. At larger organizations it may reach central scheduling rather than the dental department, so say which clinic you are calling about and that it is for dental care.

Before making the trip, check: the dental hours, and which days appointments run, whether new dental patients are being taken, and the current wait, what a first visit costs, before and after any discount, whether your insurance or Medicaid dental plan is accepted, by plan name, and what to bring for the sliding fee application.

Common Questions

Is Medicaid accepted?

It has not been confirmed either way for this clinic, which is not the same as no. In most states the dental benefit runs through separate managed care plans, so call with the dental plan name printed on your card rather than asking about Medicaid in general.

Can I get dentures here?

Many health centers do dentures, and the discount can make them dramatically cheaper than private practice. The catch is laboratory costs, which are often billed on top of the discounted fee and are the bulk of the price. Ask for the total including laboratory work.

What if I have no fixed address?

Say so when you call rather than leaving the field blank. Health centers see people without stable housing routinely, some hold a specific program for it, and a shelter or day center address is normally accepted for the paperwork. Not having an address is not a disqualification.

What if I need a specialist they do not have?

You would normally be referred out, and a referral from a health center does not carry the discount with it — the outside specialist charges their own fee. Ask what the referral would cost before starting anything that depends on it, because that is the point where an affordable plan often stops being affordable.

Is dental priced the same as medical here?

Not always. Dental is sometimes on its own fee schedule at the same clinic, and laboratory costs for a crown or denture are often billed on top of the discounted fee. Ask specifically about dental rather than assuming the medical answer applies.

Do they do root canals, or would I be referred out?

This is the question worth asking before anything else if you already know you need one. Health centers commonly do extractions in-house and refer root canals to a private endodontist at full price, which changes the arithmetic completely. Ask before you start treatment, not after.

Other Clinics Operated by Thunder Bay Community Health Service

Thunder Bay Community Health Service operates one other clinic elsewhere in Michigan. Where an organization runs several clinics, the waits rarely match. It is worth asking which one has capacity before settling on the closest. A sliding fee determination made at one of its clinics commonly carries across to the others, so income documents may not need providing twice. What is treated at one site is no guide to another, so confirm with the clinic you actually intend to visit.

Other Dental Clinics Nearby

These are straight-line distances. Two clinics a mile apart can have very different waits, so it is worth calling both.

Confirmed Payment Options

Income-Based Fees

Call THUNDER BAY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE - ONAWAY

Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.

989-733-2082

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