The team included about 30 dentists, 10 medical providers, two vision specialists and 15 nurses.TAKOMA PARK, Md. — Hundreds of people lined up overnight outside Takoma Academy Preparatory School in Takoma Park early Sunday morning, some arriving before midnight, for a chance to see a doctor or dentist free-of-charge.The one-day clinic, organized by Remote Area Medical, offered medical services, dental, and vision services to anyone in need, no insurance required.By sunrise, the line stretched across the parking lot...
The team included about 30 dentists, 10 medical providers, two vision specialists and 15 nurses.
TAKOMA PARK, Md. — Hundreds of people lined up overnight outside Takoma Academy Preparatory School in Takoma Park early Sunday morning, some arriving before midnight, for a chance to see a doctor or dentist free-of-charge.
The one-day clinic, organized by Remote Area Medical, offered medical services, dental, and vision services to anyone in need, no insurance required.
By sunrise, the line stretched across the parking lot. Volunteers from across the D.C. region and beyond transformed the school gym into a fully functioning health clinic for the day. The team included about 30 dentists, 10 medical providers, two vision specialists and 15 nurses, all volunteering their time to help those who otherwise might go without care.
“They may have insurance but they may not have money for the deductible, or they may have more problems than they can deal with,” said Mary Brown, a volunteer coordinator with Remote Area Medical.
Brown said rising costs of everyday living, along with uncertainty over jobs and benefits, especially among federal workers, have more people turning to free care than ever before.
Volunteer dentist Dr. John Osborne said many patients have gone years without treatment.
“Our patients, 50 percent of them haven’t seen a dentist in the past five to 10 years,” Osborne said. “And untreated tooth decay can be deadly.”
Among those waiting for dental care was Elaine Collins, who works with people living with mental illness while caring for her mother at home. She said worried about rising expenses and fears losing her Affordable Care Act coverage amid the ongoing budget standoff in Washington.
“They can’t get it together, they want to erase it,” Collins said. “They’re saying if I get the private insurance, it’s going to go up $795.”
Collins said she waited hours but was grateful for the opportunity.
“Everything has gone up, so this is a nice service, a good service if you can get in,” she said.
Volunteers arrived Saturday to set up the clinic and planned to see as many patients as possible before packing up and heading to their next stop.
“It’s gonna be a wait,” Collins said, “but for free, you have to wait.”
The Takoma Park clinic lasted just one day, but organizers said the need doesn’t end here.
Remote Area Medical plans to hold similar pop-up clinics across the country in the coming months, aiming to reach people before small health problems turn into major ones.