People sleep in cars to access free healthcare near Washington D.C.

Remote Area Medical, a Tennessee-based nonprofit, organized a free pop-up clinic at Takoma Academy in Takoma Park, Maryland, to provide medical, dental, and vision care to local residents.

Dozens of people arrived at the school and slept in their cars overnight to secure a spot for treatment. While the area has a high median household income and most residents have health insurance, many people still struggled to afford out-of-pocket costs or lacked coverage entirely.

Patients arrived as early as midnight to ensure they would be seen when the clinic opened at 6 a.m. The clinic served 467 patients, including those who received dental extractions, fillings, and vision exams. Many attendees reported that they had not seen a dental provider in at least two years or relied on emergency rooms for primary care.

Some patients who had insurance, such as Medicare, still sought free care because their plans did not cover routine dental procedures or they faced high deductibles. More than 300 medical and dental professionals volunteered their time to staff the 30 dental treatment tents. The organization, which has treated over one million patients in its 40-year history, originally focused on rural areas like Appalachia but now operates in urban and suburban locations.

Volunteers provided 152 pairs of eyeglasses to 99 patients who received vision exams.