Serve communities in need
Gain clinical experience
Expand your future
Why volunteer with Remote Area Medical?
Volunteering at a Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinic gives dental students the chance to step outside the classroom and into the real world where care is urgently needed and every contribution counts.
You’ll gain valuable experience through student volunteering opportunities that strengthen your dental school applications, residency prospects, and career path.
Whether you’re training to be a dental hygienist, oral surgeon, or general practitioner, RAM offers hands-on volunteer dental programs designed to help you grow personally and professionally.
What Student Volunteers Are Saying
Download our free quick guide for volunteer dental professionals
✅ Day in the Life Preview – See what it’s like to volunteer at a dental clinic, from setup to patient care and teamwork.
✅ Equipment and Support – Review the high-quality tools and supplies RAM provides so you can focus on patients.
✅ Next Steps to Get Involved – Learn how simple it is to register and start your journey, including how to encourage colleagues or students to join as volunteer dental assistants.
Earn valuable clinical and volunteer hours
Most schools recognize time spent at a volunteer dental clinic toward required student volunteer hours. This experience also looks outstanding on residency applications, graduate school admissions, and resumes.
Shadow practicing dental professionals
Work closely with licensed dentists, oral surgeons, hygienists, and professors. You’ll observe clinical workflows, sharpen chairside skills, and gain new perspective on patient care — all under professional supervision.
Please Note: All dental students must be supervised by a faculty member in order to perform any dental work at a RAM Clinic.
Assist in underserved communities
RAM Clinics take place across the country, including rural and underserved areas you might never have considered visiting but will never forget. It’s public health in action, and it will change the way you see your role in healthcare.
Volunteer with fellow passionate healthcare students
You’ll volunteer alongside peers in nursing, optometry, medicine, and other allied health fields. RAM Clinics foster a strong sense of community, bringing together student volunteers who share your passion for service.
Who Can Participate?
✓ Dental Students (D1-D4) Under Faculty Supervision
✓ Dental Hygiene Students
✓ Oral Surgery Residents
✓ Pre-Dental Students (in limited capacities)
✓ Faculty and Supervising Professors
Join us in making healthcare accessible to all.
How to Get Involved
1. Fill out the interest form below
Let us know who you are, what you’re studying, and how you’d like to help. This quick form helps us guide you to the right opportunities.
2. Meet with our Senior Outreach Coordinator
After submitting the form, you’ll be contacted to schedule a brief call. We’ll walk you through what to expect and answer any questions you have about volunteering at a dental clinic.
3. Sign up for a clinic
Once you’re ready, we’ll help you choose an upcoming RAM Clinic that fits your schedule and goals. Whether you’re joining as an individual or part of a student group, we’ll make sure you’re prepared and supported.
Hear from longtime RAM Volunteers
Frequently Asked Questions for Dental Students
While not all schools require it, admissions committees strongly value student volunteering opportunities that demonstrate a commitment to service and patient care. RAM offers experiences that stand out on applications.
Community service is essential for any well-rounded healthcare professional. It helps you understand the real-world barriers many people face in accessing care, especially those living in impoverished, isolated, or underserved communities. By volunteering with Remote Area Medical as a student, you’ll serve uninsured individuals and gain firsthand insight into the healthcare disparities that exist across the country. This experience challenges you to think critically about your role in the healthcare system and helps you define the kind of provider you want to become. For aspiring dentists, it’s a powerful way to connect your clinical goals with a deeper sense of purpose and service.
Dental schools look closely at two key areas: clinical experience and community service. Volunteering through Remote Area Medical’s student volunteering opportunities helps you build both. At volunteer dental clinic, you’ll have meaningful, hands-on exposure to patient care while serving communities with limited access to dental services. This gives you real experiences to reference in your personal statement and interviews. You’ll also develop leadership skills, work as part of a healthcare team, and demonstrate a strong dedication to service, all qualities that stand out on dental school applications.
Participating in RAM’s volunteer dental programs gives you the opportunity to shadow licensed dentists, oral surgeons, hygienists, and professors in a real clinical setting. You’ll observe patient interactions, assist with workflows, and sharpen your chairside awareness, all under professional supervision. RAM Clinics also expose you to other healthcare fields, such as nursing, optometry, and general medicine, helping you reflect on where your true passion lies. These experiences clarify your “why” for choosing dentistry — a crucial part of standing out in dental school applications and interviews.
To perform dental work at a Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic, you must be directly supervised by a faculty member. Dental and hygiene students are encouraged to recruit faculty from their programs to attend alongside their school group. RAM requires a maximum 5:1 student-to-instructor ratio — ensuring you receive appropriate guidance and meet supervision requirements. With faculty support, students can gain valuable clinical experience and student volunteer hours while helping deliver care to patients in need.
Students often assist with cleanings, extractions, fillings, sterilization, and patient education, depending on their level of training and the supervision available. All clinical work is done under the direct supervision of licensed faculty, giving students hands-on experience in a volunteer at dental clinic setting.
Yes. Students who are not performing clinical procedures can still gain valuable experience by volunteering in non-clinical roles such as patient intake, logistics, or general support. These student volunteer opportunities provide meaningful exposure to patient care and the operational side of healthcare delivery in underserved communities.
Many dental schools and undergraduate programs accept student volunteer hours completed at RAM Clinics toward community service or clinical requirements. However, you should confirm with your program advisor ahead of time. RAM can provide documentation of your hours upon request.
RAM provides the equipment and supplies needed for patient care, but student volunteers should bring their own scrubs, personal protective equipment (PPE), school ID, and anything required by their faculty. You’ll receive a pre-clinic email with specific details and expectations.
Email [email protected] and a Remote Area Medical team member will reach out to help.a
