May 29, 2026
Free dental and vision care – and more – available to residents in need at Ferris State this weekend through RAM partnership
Remote Area Medical has collaborated with community partners to provide free healthcare to 1.04 million people across the nation since 1985.
This weekend, the non-profit group is working with Ferris State University to provide dental and vision care – and much more – to people in and around West Michigan.
Free services are available starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday, May 30 and again on Sunday, May 31. Care is provided on a first-come, first-served basis at Ferris State’s Ewigleben Sports Complex, 210 Sports Drive. Parking lots are opening at 11:59 p.m. on Friday for people wishing to wait.
Through the support of generous donations and volunteers, the university and RAM are bringing the free care clinic to Big Rapids for the second time. The 2025 clinic provided about $250,000 in healthcare services to 265 people. Organizers said they expect to serve even more people this year.
The clinic is open to any adult or child. No proof of ID or insurance is required. Translators will be available for patients who may not use English as their primary language.
Faculty and students from Ferris State’s College of Health Professions, Michigan College of Optometry, and College of Pharmacy, and other fields will work alongside professionals and volunteers from across the region to provide care.
RAM is a Tennessee-based organization that bridges the gap in the American health system by providing free healthcare services to those in need. Using large-scale mobile clinics around the country, RAM partners with local organizations like Ferris State to deliver quality healthcare to underserved and uninsured individuals who do not have access to or cannot afford medical, dental or vision care.
The need for medical care in Michigan is real, said Becky Johnson-Himes, an associate professor in Ferris State’s School of Nursing. She is leading the effort with Nursing professor Stephanie Gustman.
Mecosta County and neighboring Clare, Isabella, Lake, Montcalm, Newaygo, and Osceola counties are designated as areas with limited access to professional medical and dental healthcare.
Lake, Isabella, Clare, and Mecosta are also among the top eight poverty-stricken counties in Michigan, according to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
For many, the clinic is the only way they will have access to this important care.
Free healthcare services offered will include physical exams, lab work such as cholesterol, diabetes, chemistry, and blood lead testing. However, the range of services will depend on the local providers who can volunteer their time and skills to see patients.
Patients can receive dental care including cleanings, fillings, extractions, and x-rays. Vision care includes eye exams, eyeglass prescriptions, and eyeglasses made on-site in a mobile vision lab.
Many Ferris State nursing, dental, optometry, and pharmacy student volunteers will join medical professionals to serve patients in their field of study. Students across campus are invited to volunteer for other assistance throughout the event.
Volunteer providers can be primary and specialty physicians, registered nurses, nurse techs, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, phlebotomists, dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, oral surgeons, optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians, and others.
Information about volunteering is available at this link. There is an acute need for dentists, optometrists, and ophthalmologists.
In addition to the clinics, human service organizations will be on-site to share community resources throughout the event.