CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Hundreds of people were in line by 6:30 a.m. here Saturday seeking free medical, dental and eye care because they can’t pay, have inadequate insurance or none at all.

Staff Photo by Shane McMillan
Knoxville resident Barry Chaney has a tooth extracted by oral surgeon Kent Duyvejonck at the Remote Area Medical Health Expedition at Cleveland High School today. The free two-day clinic is open to people needing everything from dental work, eye glasses, cancer screenings and other services.

Scores of volunteer doctors, dentists and ophthalmologists expected to treat nearly 500 people Saturday. Others were given numbers for their turn in line when the clinic resumes today.

The clinic is provided by Knoxville-based Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps, founded by Stan Brock, best known for his role in television’s “Wild Kingdom.” The St. Therese Parish Health Ministry organized the RAM clinic here, as it did in 2005.

Tia Triplett and two friends drove from the Atlanta area Friday evening and spent the night here.

“I have a job but there’s no dental coverage,” Ms. Triplett said. “We got here Friday evening and spent some time in several restaurants. It was like an eat-athon around Cleveland.”

For complete coverage see tomorrow’s Times Free Press.