Sacramental Participation

Is Sacramental participation in the Eucharist a requirement for salvation? Many Protestants do not accept a sacramental interpretation of Christian ritual practices. As such and despite having a stong faith and good works are we to conclude that these people will not be saved apart from formal participation in the sacraments, which they understand in an entirely different way than the Orthodox? I have been a Christian for a long time and find many Protestants to be more Christlike than many Orthodox. I find many sincere people with faith and good works to commend themselves as Christians in just about any christian denomination. How does this square with Orthodox teaching?