Remote Area Medical returns to Bradenton

More than 500 individuals are receiving free medical, dental and general care today during Remote Area Medical's Bradenton mobile clinic, which runs through Oct. 13, at Manatee Technical College, 6305 E. State Road 70, Bradenton.

Remote Area Medical, also known as RAM, is an international nonprofit that provides free dental, vision and medical care through mobile clinics. Its mission is to provide health services to underserved or uninsured individuals who do not have access to or cannot afford a doctor.

Services available through the support of volunteer physicians and healthcare professionals include dental cleanings, dental fillings, dental extractions, eye exams, glaucoma testing, eyeglass prescriptions, eyeglasses made on site, women's health exams and general medical exams.

Those wishing to receive services can do so on Sunday. The MTC parking lot will open at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 13 and ticket distribution will begin at 3 a.m. Patients will be seen in numerical order according to their ticket number when clinic doors open at 6 a.m. 

RAM encourages everyone who would like services, especially dental services, to arrive as early as possible.

RAM officials say according to the U.S. census data for Bradenton, more than 17% of the city's residents live in poverty. Additionally, about 25% under the age of 65 have no health insurance.

During the last four years, RAM has serviced almost 4,000 individuals at clinics, with total care valued at $1.6 million.