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Your gift helps RAM provide free dental, vision, and medical services to people in need.
Have a toothache? Need a cleaning? For many people, the cost of dental work can be prohibitive — 27% of Americans do not have dental insurance [CareQuest Institue for Oral Health]. 68.5 million individuals are forced to pay out of pocket for dental care or forgo treatment altogether.
78% of Remote Area Medical (RAM®) Patients do not have dental insurance — RAM Clinics provide crucial medical services to bridge the gap in coverage. Receiving dental care can be life changing for patients. A dentist may be able to help with dental pain that makes everyday tasks, like eating, more difficult for patients. Or prevent further medical complications from arising down the road.
The need for dental care is everywhere
RAM brings free, quality dental care to anyone in need of the services. In just two days, the RAM Clinic in Sparta, Tennessee provided 296 extractions, 24 fillings, and 18 cleanings to patients. In total, this clinic provided more than $153,000 worth of free dental, vision, and medical care.
Jeanette was one of hundreds of patients that received dental services at the clinic. While she has health insurance, she does not have dental insurance — making it difficult for her to see a dentist.
At the Sparta RAM Clinic she was able to see a dentist, and address issues with her old fillings. Her fillings had been replaced previously but needed to be examined by a dentist and replaced once again. Thankfully, her old fillings were not causing pain or affecting her quality of life. Jeanette was able to get her dental fillings redone at no cost.
“I just feel a lot of compassion and I saw it today. The patient that was in the stall next to me, something must’ve gone wrong where they had to have EMS come,” Jeanette said. “But even just watching how all the [volunteers] were tending to her, and they came to her aid right away, and it touched me. There was no hesitation. They were right there for her. It was good to see.”
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Jeanette mentioned a factor that is a barrier to care for many — follow-up care. Ideally, she would follow-up with a dentist in a few months to have her fillings further examined, if she is able to. For some patients, follow-up care will be the next time they are able to attend a RAM Clinic.
Being a Patients and a Volunteer
Before attending the clinic as a patient, Jeanette became familiar with RAM’s mission from her time as a volunteer. A group from her church had volunteered with RAM. Reflecting on that experience, she shared that she plans to volunteer with RAM again in the future.
“I mean, it’s no secret that healthcare is an issue in our country and so many go without, so even just an opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of just everyday people and their needs,” Jeanette said. “I don’t know, it’s the human element that we’re missing and volunteering just helps you to see it, and put a face to it, and know that it could be you or your neighbor. So why not help?”
How to Support Remote Area Medical (RAM®)
If you would like to volunteer at a RAM Clinic, please visit https://www.ramusa.org/volunteer/
RAM does not receive federal funding, we are funded through the generosity of private donors, grants, and corporate sponsors. If you would like to support RAM’s mission, please become a donor. Whether you give sporadically or are a monthly donor, you support means so much to us — and our patients.
RAM posts blogs like this weekly, read our blog posts here.
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