Free medical care is coming to Bradenton for two days. Volunteers are still needed
The Remote Area Medical clinic will return to Manatee Technical College in Bradenton for two days in October, providing free medical, dental and vision services to those in need.
No identification is required for the RAM clinic, which aims to help “underserved and uninsured individuals,” according to a news release from Maura Howl, the college’s spokeswoman.
This year’s RAM clinic begins at the crack of dawn on Oct. 12. The parking lot of Manatee Technical College, 6305 State Road 70 East, will open at 12:01 a.m., and ticket distribution will start at 3 a.m.
Doors are scheduled to open at 6 a.m., and the same process will repeat on Oct. 13. The free services include:
- Dental cleanings
- Dental fillings
- Dental extractions
- Dental x-rays
- Eye exams
- Eyeglass prescriptions
- Eyeglasses made on-site
- Women’s health exams
- General medical exams
Over the last four years, the clinic delivered more than 6,700 free dental, optical and medical procedures to nearly 4,000 patients, according to Richard Conard, one of the primary organizers.
Hundreds of people are expected to attend the clinic each day. While men, women and children are greeted with open arms every year, a shortage of volunteers can affect the number of people served.
“And the only question we have ever asked is, ‘Where does it hurt?’ ” Conard said in a prepared statement. “This year, we desperately need help. We have too few dental and optical professional volunteers to serve all the patients we know will be there.”
The organization is asking volunteers — dentists, oral surgeons, opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists — to email Lori Dengler at lorijd4@gmail.com.
Volunteers receive free meals during the event, and while lodging is provided to volunteers who travel more than 100 miles, only those with a Florida license are allowed to participate.
RAM is a nonprofit that provides free medical clinics throughout the United States. More than $1 million in services were provided in Bradenton over the last several years, and more than $135 million in health care was delivered nationwide, the organization reported.
“The gratitude of the patients I help is beyond measurement,” Dr. Steven Tinsworth said in a prepared statement. “I get back as much as I give when I volunteer during RAM.”