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.

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.”

Then the trio got some sleep in the Cleveland High School parking lot where the clinic is being held.

Ms. Triplett saw a CBS “60 Minutes” television report in March about RAM and went to the Internet to learn more.

The number of people who coming to the clinic is not surprising even in the United States, said Sherry Park, co-chairwoman of the event along with Lynne Bowers from St. Therese.

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.

“Many people have lost jobs or have inadequate health insurance or none at all,” she said. “For some, dental and eye care are not covered and they are too expensive.”

Some companies use temporary employment services, she said, and do not provide insurance benefits to those workers even if they are on the payroll for years.

Ron Brewer, RAM spokesman at Cleveland High on Saturday, said it will be years before the clinic is here again. RAM is booked through 2009 with only three months left in 2010, he said.

“It’s flowing like a river,” said Ms. Park as she watched hundreds of volunteer helpers assist patients.

The patients waited in the school gym for services, including eye exams and free glasses, dental work and health screenings.

Dr. Karen Gilson, who has a federally funded clinic in Rossville, was urging everyone to get a diabetes screening.

“It can be years before the symptoms show up and it can lead to so many other serious problems, including heart disease,’’ she said. Her challenge was reassuring people they would not loose their place in line for their intended service in order to get the blood screening.