People in the Prince George’s County area can access free dental, vision and medical care in Largo this weekend on Oct. 3 and 4.

A pop-up clinic at Prince George’s Community College will open at 6 a.m. both days. Organizers warn that due to anticipated high demand, capacity will likely fill up overnight Friday.

The clinic is hosted by Remote Area Medical alongside the Mount Rose Chapter of The Links Incorporated and several local community organizations. Patients will receive care on a first-come, first-served basis; no photo ID or health insurance is required.

The cost of healthcare makes accessing basic services challenging or impossible for millions of Americans. In Maryland, state health officials project that up to 175,000 residents could lose Medicaid coverage due to new eligibility rules and work requirements under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will also strip an estimated $2.7 billion in annual federal funding from the state’s healthcare system.

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Remote Area Medical clinic manager Vicki Gregg said patients will likely start lining up between 5 and 6 a.m. Friday. The demand is typically so great that all available appointments are claimed by Friday at midnight or early Saturday morning before the clinic opens.

“If they are looking for the specialty services, in particular dental, I strongly recommend that they plan on arriving early Friday evening, and we will have people in the parking lot beginning at 5 p.m.,” Gregg said.

Clinic staff will begin rousing people and handing out numbered admission tickets at around 4 a.m. Saturday. Portable toilets will be available in the parking lot.

“We recommend blankets, pillows, making sure you got a full tank of gas,” Gregg said. “Bring the comforts from home. Pack a cooler with drinks, snacks and bring any medications that they may need overnight.”

Once inside, all patients can receive general medical care, which includes routine physical exams, preventive health screenings and comprehensive blood work. The clinic also offers dental and vision services, including eye exams and prescription eyeglasses made on site. Due to time constraints and high volume, patients must choose between receiving dental or vision care, Gregg said.

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Gregg said typically about 65% of patients receive dental care.

Operations on Sunday, Oct. 4, will run on an abbreviated schedule and wrap up by 1 p.m. Those who are not seen by a healthcare provider Saturday should plan to spend Saturday night in line to secure a spot for Sunday morning.

“It’s life-changing. Life-changing,” Gregg said, noting how dental extractions or new eyeglasses can improve daily life. “To have that financial burden taken off of them is just a huge relief for them.”

While dental and medical teams are fully staffed with help from the Howard University College of Dentistry and other institutions, the clinic is facing a shortage of vision care professionals, which will directly limit the number of vision patients who can be seen.

Gregg said the clinic needs optometrists, ophthalmologists and refraction technicians to volunteer. Volunteers can sign up at ramusa.org or call Remote Area Medical headquarters at 865-579-1530 and ask for the volunteer coordinator for Largo.

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