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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 this week, on November 5-7, to provide free care.

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.

This will be RAM’s fifth clinic in Gray. 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 3-day free clinic will include dental cleanings, dental fillings, dental extractions, dental x-rays, eye exams, glaucoma testing, eyeglass prescriptions, eyeglasses made on-site, free flu shots, evaluation and treatment of minor lesions, skin cancer evaluations, and steroid injections for arthritic hand and wrist joints, women’s health exams, including Pap smears, audiology, chest x-rays, mental health services, COVID-19 vaccines, and general medical exams.

“We are excited to be going into our fifth year as the Community Host group for the Tricities RAM clinic,” said Sarah Scott, Community Host Group lead and Director of Outreach for Project Access. “RAM is in line with our mission of providing meaningful access to healthcare for everyone in the Appalachian Highlands region, so we look forward to this event every year. We could not do any of this without our community partners and providers.”

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, optometrists and ophthalmologists.

“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 or vision services. However, free medical services and community resources 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.

All patients will also be required to undergo a free rapid COVID-19 test to be administered on-site prior to receiving services. More information upon arrival.

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 a part of the 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.