Remote Area Medical To Offer Services in Cookeville

Remote Area Medical (RAM) will host a free clinic in Cookeville this weekend.

Media Relations Specialist Robert Lambert said RAM came to Cookeville in 2018.

“So last year we served 778 with either dental, vision, or medical care,” Lambert said. “That came to about $412,000 in free care. That was just last year.”

RAM began serving the Cookeville area in 2016.  Lambert said the clinic typically sees the most patients for free dental care.

“A lot of people aren’t offered dental insurance through their jobs. I think there is about 75 million people in the United States that don’t have dental coverage,” Lambert said. “And then another reason is because dental procedures are so astronomically expensive.”

Lambert said patients should get to the clinic as early as possible.

“The way our process works is we open the parking lot around midnight each night,” Lambert said. “And then at 3 am we will distribute a number of tickets, barring any unusual circumstances, like the weather or volunteers.”

Lambert said the clinic can always use more volunteers.

“Last time I checked we were looking for some vision professionals,” Lambert said. “So eye doctors, ophthalmologists, optometrists, anyone in the vision profession can come and help us out.”

Lambert said RAM also needs additional support volunteers. To sign up as a volunteer, visit the Remote Area Medical website. 

The free clinic will take place at Cookeville High School on March 16 and 17.