Oklahoma medical news briefs

Remote Area Medical and its local affiliate RAM Oklahoma need volunteers for a weekend of free dental, vision and limited medical care on Saturday, Aug. 25, and Sunday, Aug. 26, at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds.

RAM Oklahoma is especially looking for interested dental and vision professionals of all types, including students. Those who wish to volunteer can simply sign up at www.RAMOK.org/volunteer.

All volunteers are covered against medical liability under a state law called the Volunteer Professional Services Immunity Act.

“People can choose what day or days to donate their time, and our volunteers find that helping Oklahomans receive basic health care is very rewarding,” said Tres Savage, RAM Oklahoma's local coordinator, said.

“Anyone interested in helping can simply sign up online and show up in August ready to volunteer. We will get you all of the details, but everything is straightforward.” Savage added that dental volunteers will have an opportunity to receive continuing education hours from the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry.

In 2010, RAM saw 1,635 individual patients for 2,497 individual services at its Oklahoma event. Many patients received both dental and vision services, as well as women's health and general medical screenings. RAM volunteers made 691 pairs of glasses on site with RAM's mobile vision laboratories.

Dentists extracted 1,342 teeth and filled 477 teeth, and hygienists provided 216 cleanings. In total, 913 patients received dental care, which was the most requested service. RAM also performed more than 100 pap tests and gave out more than 100 vouchers for free mammograms.