Hundreds get free health care as traveling service hits L.A.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Though he'd waited since 3:25 a.m. to see a dentist, a smile graced the face of Arturo Castaneda on Tuesday afternoon as he leaned against his blind man's cane and waited for someone to pull his bothersome tooth.

Like hundreds of others who showed up in the pre-dawn hours for free health care at The Forum in Inglewood, the 50-year-old man was relieved that he would receive the care he needed. Eventually.

The Los Angeles event marks the first time Remote Area Medical has provided such medical care in a major urban area. The medical group typically serves patients in rural parts of the United States and travels to underdeveloped countries.

Hundreds of doctors and nurses volunteered to provide free dentistry, medical exams and vision care to the 1,500 uninsured, underinsured, unemployed and needy patients.

The piercing sound of teeth being drilled and scraped echoed up to the rafters where the Los Angeles Lakers once played to the roar of capacity crowds. Mobile health trucks provided other medical examinations, and tables full of donated eyeglasses were available to those who got eye examinations.

Since 2000, The Forum has been owned by Faithful Central Bible Church, which donated the use of the facility for a week. Cash and services were donated by local hospitals, health systems and charitable groups.

Tennessee-based RAM's founder Stan Brock said he helps organize 30 to 40 such health-care events a year, with a total of 567 events held to date, adding: "We just wish we could do more."

There are about 47 million uninsured Americans, according to federal estimates.

Demand was high for dental care Tuesday. In the wake of budget cuts to Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, dental care for adults hasn't been covered since July 1. If Castaneda, who is blind, unemployed and living in a Skid Row shelter, hadn't been able to attend the event, he said, it's unlikely he would have gotten the care he needed.

The tired, sweaty crowd outside The Forum grew noisy when volunteers announced that they would need to return the next day to see a dentist.

"I don't have money to come back tomorrow! I borrowed money to get here today!" yelled Ontario resident Jocelyn Langham, 53.

Brock called on more area medical professionals to volunteer to work the event in coming days, and for Congress to pass a law that allows doctors to provide care in any state. The event will be held daily through Aug. 18.