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Volunteers needed for free medical, dental, & vision clinic
 
ROCKFORD — Remote Area Medical — RAM® — a major nonprofit provider of pop-up clinics delivering free, quality dental, vision and medical care to underserved and uninsured individuals — will be in Gray on November 5-7 to provide free care.
 
This will be RAM’s fifth clinic in Gray.
 
To fulfill its goal of treating as many people as possible, RAM is still in need of licensed dental and vision professionals to volunteer their time throughout the weekend, including Dentists, Dental Hygienists, Oral Surgeons, Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Opticians, and Ophthalmic Techs. General support volunteers for parking lot crew and set up/break down are also needed.
 
All RAM services are free, and no ID is required. Dental, vision, and medical services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. 
 
Services available at the clinic will include dental cleanings, dental fillings, dental extractions, dental x-rays, eye exams, glaucoma testing, eyeglass prescriptions, eyeglasses made on-site, women’s health exams, and general medical exams. 
 
The three-day clinic, in collaboration with Project Access, Ballad Health, and ETSU Health, will be held at Appalachian Fairgrounds located at 100 Lakeview St., Gray, TN 37615.
 
“Remote Area Medical is glad to help bring free services to those in need in the Gray community,” said RAM CEO Jeff Eastman. “This has been a challenging time, and access to healthcare is more important than ever before. Thank you to all the volunteers who are coming to help those in need.”
 
Due to time constraints, patients should be prepared to choose between dental and vision services. Free medical services are offered in addition to dental or vision services to every patient attending the clinic. 
 
The patient parking lot will open no later than 12:01 a.m. Friday, Nov. 5, and remain open. As patients arrive at the parking lot, they will be provided with additional information regarding clinic opening processes and next steps. Patients should be prepared with their own food, water, medicines and clothing when arriving early. Bathrooms will be provided. 
 
Clinic doors open at 6 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 5. This process will repeat on Saturday, Nov. 6, and Sunday, Nov. 7.
 
RAM encourages everyone who would like services, especially dental services, to arrive as early as possible. In some situations, such as inclement weather, volunteer cancellations, or other circumstances outside of RAM’s control, the parking lot may open earlier or a smaller number of patients may be served. *Clinic closing time may vary based on each service area’s daily capacity. Please check RAM’s clinic FAQ page for more information.

In response to COVID-19, RAM has developed and incorporated new disinfecting and safety processes. All patients will be required to wear a face covering and must undergo a COVID-19 screening before entering the clinic. Guests and family members of patients, including pets, will not be allowed to enter the building. New air flow and capacity limitations have also been put in place to ensure the safety of patients, staff and volunteers. 
  
Since RAM’s founding in 1985, more than 863,000 individuals have received free services. Please email RAM’s Volunteer Manager Mary Brown at marybrown@ramusa.org, if interested in volunteering at this clinic. For more information about volunteering at a future RAM pop-up clinic or to donate, visit www.ramusa.org or call 865-579-1530. 
 
If you are media and would like to schedule an interview with a RAM representative or are interested in attending the clinic, please reach out to Mindy Cooper at mindycooper@ramusa.org.
 
About Remote Area Medical: RAM is a major nonprofit organization that operates pop-up clinics delivering free, quality, dental, vision, and medical services to underserved and uninsured individuals who do not have access to or cannot afford a doctor. Since RAM was founded in 1985, more than 173,000 volunteers —comprised of licensed dental, vision, and medical professionals, as well as general support staff — have treated more than 863,000 individuals delivering $174 million worth of free healthcare services. RAM has held clinics in locations such as Tennessee, Louisiana, Idaho, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Guyana, Haiti, and the Bahamas.