Who Are Remote Area Medical’s Patients?  

Remote Area Medical (RAM®) has been providing free dental, vision, and medical care to those in need for 40 years. As you saw earlier this year, RAM served our millionth patient. That’s one million lives touched by our volunteers. RAM’s free clinics can be life changing for our patients.

Who are these patients and who does RAM serve?  

The short answer: anyone 

A common question we receive from people interested in attending the clinic is “What do I need to be qualified for the clinic?” To that RAM says, “Nothing, just show up!” RAM will serve anyone in need of free care. The only thing we need to know is what type of healthcare provider you’d like to see and why. 

So, who are RAM’s patients?  

Children and Their Parents  

In 2024, RAM served more than 4,000 children. We were able to provide these children with free dental, vision, and medical care they need to make sure that they remain healthy and happy.  

You may remember that just this year we saw a family of five siblings each receiving a new pair of glasses for free. For two of the children, Celeste and Reyes, this was their first time wearing glasses. Celeste was excited to be able to see better in school, and show her teacher her new, pink glasses.  

After making sure her kids got the care they needed, their mom, Tara, returned to the clinic the next day for herself. She had been using old contacts, but at the clinic she was able to get a new prescription and leave the clinic with a new pair of glasses the same day. Thanks to the RAM Clinic, Tara did not have to worry about the cost of six eye exams, and six pairs of glasses. 

Healthcare Professionals 

Believe it or not, healthcare professionals are patients at some of our RAM Clinics. Even though they spend their time making sure others receive the care they need, there are many reasons a healthcare professional would need one of our clinics.  

One of the many reasons people attend a RAM Clinic is because they can’t get time off during the week to get the care they need. Luckily, most of our clinics are on the weekend, and multiple days long.  

For Sarah in Tennessee, even though she works in the healthcare industry, getting care is difficult for her. Not only does she not have insurance, but she cannot get off during the week, when most dentists’ offices are open. At our free clinic she was able to get multiple teeth extracted. Sarah left feeling like she had a brand-new smile.  

Patients Who Haven’t Seen a Healthcare Provider in Years 

Whether it’s distance to care, cost, or a phobia of the dentist, thousands of our patients haven’t seen a healthcare provider in years. Some cannot even tell you the last time they saw a provider. 

You may have seen our recent video about Morgan, who hadn’t seen a dentist in more than 23 years before coming to the RAM Clinic. His phobia of the dentist, and a previous bad experience kept him from getting care. But thanks to the kindness, care, and compassion he received at our clinic in 2023, he returned in 2025 to make sure he was keeping up with the health of his teeth.  

Insured Patients  

Roughly 46% of RAM’s patients are covered by some kind of insurance [from patient questionnaire]. But for many of these patients, having insurance is not enough. They are still left to cover high costs of deductibles, co-pays, prescription costs, and more.  

That is even if they can get to a doctor. The ‘remote’ in Remote Area Medical is true for many of our patients. They may have insurance but live far from the nearest doctor, dentist, or optometrist, making care inaccessible. By RAM bringing our clinics to communities across the country, we are improving access to care for these patients, while also removing the cost.  

For patients like Amanda, whom we saw for the second time earlier this year in Connecticut, who have insurance, having insurance does not mean she can afford the care she needs. She returned to the clinic this year, with her service dog, Daisy. She needed dental care that, even with insurance, she would not have been able to afford. 

Uninsured Patients 

Nearly half of RAM’s patients do not have insurance, according to patient 2024 patient information. Whether that’s health, dental, or vision insurance, these patients are not covered by insurance plans, making it too expensive for them to receive the care they need. Because of this, these patients often forgo preventative care, checkups, dental cleanings, and more.  

Patients like Leo in Pennsylvania may be employed full-time, but not eligible for insurance benefits yet. For him, the RAM Clinic was the best opportunity for him to get the dental, vision, and medical care he needed, until he’s able to become insured late next year. For now, he has a new pair of glasses, a clean bill of health from the doctor, and a dental cleaning he’d been without for at least five years.  

So, no matter who they are, or why they chose to attend a RAM Clinic, we cannot wait to continue serving patients in 2026 and beyond.  

Help Us Continue Our Mission in the Years to Come 

We would not have been able to serve any of these patients without your support. If you would like to donate to RAM to help us serve even more patients in 2026, please click here. You can also become a monthly donor to make your impact continue throughout the year.  

Volunteers make a direct impact on the lives of our patients. Volunteer with us at any of our upcoming clinics to see how you can make a difference in someone’s life. Whether you’re a healthcare professional or a general support volunteer, we’d love to see you at a clinic.  

Have you downloaded our newest magazine? Our most recent biannual magazine is finally here — check out our 40^th anniversary edition today!  

Did you know some of our patients learn about RAM Clinics through social media? Follow us on social media and share with your friends and family. You never know; you might help someone find the free healthcare services they’ve been needing.  

Have you seen our new online merch store? You can now shop to show off RAM in style! 

Read more about our mission and how we are serving communities across the country in our blog. 

Have you set up RAM as your charity of choice for Walmart Spark Good? Round up your change to support our mission.