HEADLINES:
The Importance Of Children's Oral Health
Engagement Announced Benson - Hopkins
PA Insurance Fraud Is On The Rise
Pickett, Major Support Spending Database
Motorcyclists Urged To Enhance Skills
Report Potholes On State Roads
Wildlife Specialists Launch New Website

The Importance Of Children's Oral Health

Harrisburg, - February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM), an oral health campaign designed to educate children and their parents about the importance of good oral health. Developing proper oral health habits at an early age will last a lifetime and significantly improve a child’s overall heath.

Tooth decay affects more than one quarter of children ages two to five, half of those ages 12 to 15 and countless adults in the United States. In fact, tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children; five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. The good news is that tooth decay is preventable.

The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) encourages parents to help their children develop good habits at an early age:

Brush teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes each time. Brushing after breakfast and before bedtime is recommended. To help your child brush for the correct amount of time, try setting an egg timer or listening to a song. It is important to brush all tooth surfaces, including the gums, backs of teeth and even the tongue. Talk to your child’s dentist about when to begin using a fluoride toothpaste and fluoride supplements if your community’s water supply is not fluoridated.

Floss between teeth at least once a day. Flossing helps remove pieces of food that get stuck between teeth and under gums, reaching places your toothbrush can't.

In addition to brushing and flossing, Dr. Richard Galeone, a pediatric dentist from Lansdale, recommends sealants. “The application of fissure sealants to the teeth can help prevent dental decay. A fissure sealant is a clear or shaded plastic material applied to the pits and grooves of children’s teeth,” Dr. Galeone said. “They are especially recommended for those children with a history of tooth decay.”

Establish healthy eating habits for your child. Offer a variety of foods from the five major food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains and meat/poultry/fish. Avoid sugary beverages, such as soda, juice and sports drinks, and snacks that contain high amounts of sugar. Each time you eat or drink something with sugar, harmful acids attack your teeth for at least 20 minutes. Repeat attacks can lead to tooth decay.

Visit the dentist every six months for a checkup and professional cleaning. Regular visits will not only help detect possible dental problems in their early stages, but also will help your child feel more comfortable going to the dentist.

If your child is involved in any contact sport or recreational activity, he or she should always wear a mouthguard. Examples of contact sports include, but are not limited to, football, field hockey, ice hockey, baseball, basketball, softball, wrestling, soccer, lacrosse, rugby, in-line skating and martial arts.

Learning about oral health can be informative and fun for kids of all ages. Visit PDA’s online Kids’ Corner at www.padental.org/kidscorner for interactive games and activities, information on brushing and flossing, answers to frequently asked questions, nutritional information and more.

If you are a parent, don’t forget to visit PDA's online Patient Resource Center at www.padental.org/patientinformation. The Patient Resource Center is a great source of information on a variety of oral health topics from caring for baby teeth to what to expect at your child’s first dental visit. If you have specific questions about your child's oral health, please speak with your dentist.

For more information on NCDHM, visit www.padental.org/ncdhm.

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Engagement Announced Benson - Hopkins

Chad Benson and Courtney Hopkins are proud to announce their recent engagement.

Courtney and Chad

Chad is a 2005 graduate of Susquehanna Community High School. He is the son of Jeff Benson and Shannon Cordner.

Courtney is a 2007 graduate of Susquehanna Community High School. She is the daughter of Jett & Dan Callahan and Charlie Hopkins.

Their wedding is planned for August 6, 2011.

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PA Insurance Fraud Is On The Rise

(Mechanicsburg, PA) - The Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA) announced that referrals (suspected insurance fraud and insurance related crimes) for 2010 remained 70 percent higher than those seen prior to the U.S. economy’s downturn in 2007. Law enforcement agencies supported by the IFPA received 3,025 referrals during the 2010 calendar year.

The year also saw 440 arrests related to insurance fraud and insurance related crimes. There were 488 prosecutions closed with 293 convictions, 164 individuals granted Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) of their charges, 339 individuals placed on probation and 50 individuals sentenced to serve terms of imprisonment.

For the 4th quarter of the 2010, there were 653 referrals with 124 arrests made and 109 prosecutions closed. Of those arrested in 2010, 53 percent were males of an average age of 44 years and 47 percent were females of an average age of 41 years. Sixty-three percent of arrests came from crimes committed during 2008 through 2010.

Defendants were ordered to pay a total of $11.4 million in restitution and over $350,000 in fines and penalties as a result of criminal proceedings.

Crimes involving auto insurance remain the most common type of fraud reported for 2010 at 49 percent, followed by workers’ compensation insurance at 14 percent, homeowners and renters insurance at 11 percent and health insurance at 9 percent.

Arrests for the 4th quarter showed the following acts as leading crimes related to auto insurance fraud:

Falsely claiming to have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, 23 percent.

Driving without insurance or driving without adequate coverage, having an accident, purchasing insurance or adding coverage and then falsely claiming that the accident happened after the policy was purchased or coverage added, 21 percent.

Falsely claiming that a car or truck had been stolen, 15 percent.

False claims arising from staged, inflated or pre-existing damage, 13 percent.

Non-resident rate evasion (residents of other states fraudulently obtaining Pennsylvania driver licensing, vehicle registration and auto insurance), 12 percent.

For full accounts of the lies and deception found during the 4th quarter of 2010, visit www.helpstopFRAUD.org and download Pennsylvania Fraud Stories from the Media Center.

A listing of law enforcement agencies that fight fraud can be found under “Reporting Insurance Fraud” at www.helpstopFRAUD.org. To report anonymously, consumers can call the tip line at 1-888-565-IFPA (4372).

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Pickett, Major Support Spending Database

HARRISBURG - In efforts to help increase the public’s access to government spending records, Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) and Rep. Sandra Major (R-Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming) voted in favor of House Bill 15, legislation that would create an online database of state government spending.

“An online database that records state spending is an important part of being trustworthy and answerable to taxpayers,” said Pickett. “We believe that once ample sunlight is shone on state expenditures, then there will be greater accountability of each and every penny from the taxpayers that is being spent, and I am proud of this effort.”

“The taxpayers deserve a government that is more open and transparent,” Major said. “It’s the people’s government, and they pay for it. It is our responsibility as their representatives to keep them informed about what we are doing and why.”

Under House Bill 15, the state treasurer must develop, implement and maintain a single, searchable website known as the Pennsylvania Web Accountability, Transparency and Contract Hub (PennWATCH). The website must contain the revenue and expense information of state agencies and be accessible to the public at no charge. The legislation stipulates that if signed into law, it must be developed by Aug. 31, 2011.

In addition to PennWATCH, other reform measures adopted by the House this week would:

Increase penalties for lobbyists who violate the state’s Lobbyist Disclosure Act.

Extend whistleblower protections to employees of nonprofits and private sector companies with state contracts who report waste of public money obtained by their employer for services or work.

Enhance the state contracting process by allowing for public review of a contract not awarded by a competitive bid process prior to execution of the agreement and by prohibiting an employee of the administration who previously worked for a company bidding on a state contract from participating in the evaluation of that proposal.

Prohibit lawmakers from creating nonprofit organizations that receive public funds.

The bills passed the House unanimously and now await consideration in the Senate.

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Motorcyclists Urged To Enhance Skills

Harrisburg - Although Pennsylvania is still within winter’s grip, now is the time for motorcyclists to plan to enhance their driving skills through the 2011 Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program, PennDOT said.

The program offers courses for new and experienced riders at approximately 70 locations across the state. Courses are offered March through October. A full schedule is available online at www.pamsp.com.

“Through the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program, we are committed to helping all riders improve their safety knowledge and operating skills,” said acting PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch, P.E. “By practicing proper riding techniques and learning how to handle their motorcycles in all types of road and weather conditions, motorcyclists can further reduce their chances of being involved in a crash.”

New this year is a 3-Wheeled Motorcycle Basic Rider Course (3WBRC), which will be offered in Butler, Lehigh and York counties. PennDOT introduced the new course due to the increasing popularity of three-wheeled motorcycles and the unique safety concerns these vehicles present. The 12-hour course includes four hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of practical riding experience. Students must provide their own three-wheeled motorcycle and protective gear.

The 15-hour Basic Rider Course (BRC) consists of five hours of in-class instruction and 10 hours of practical riding experience. This comprehensive safety and skills overview provides valuable training for new riders and gives experienced riders the opportunity to polish their skills and correct any unsafe riding habits they may have developed. Students taking the BRC are provided a motorcycle and helmet; however, students are responsible for providing all other protective gear.

If a rider has completed the BRC, the six-hour Basic Rider Course 2 (BRC2), formerly known as the Experienced Rider Course, allows skilled riders to refresh their safety knowledge and hone their on-road skills. Riders taking the BRC2 are permitted to carry a passenger while practicing balance and steering techniques in a controlled environment. Students taking the BRC2 must provide their own motorcycle and protective gear.

All PAMSP courses, including the new 3WBRC, are free to Pennsylvania residents who have a motorcycle learner’s permit or motorcycle license. All training courses are conducted on a riding range, under the management of certified rider coaches.

To enroll in a course, individuals must have either a motorcycle learner’s permit or license. Motorcycle learner’s permit holders who successfully complete a course will be issued a motorcycle license. Those who successfully pass their skills test on a three-wheeled motorcycle will be issued a motorcycle license with a “9” restriction, meaning they are prohibited from operating a two-wheeled motorcycle.

For more information and to enroll in a course, visit www.pamsp.com or call 1-800-845-9533, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and noon.

Riders are also encouraged to visit www.LiveFreeRideAlive.com, an interactive website designed specifically for motorcyclists. The website challenges riders to take personal responsibility for their own safety.

The site allows visitors to view a documentary featuring several Pennsylvania riders, their family members and friends, and share their riding experiences and lessons about what they’ve learned. Riders also have the ability to take the “Be One Less” pledge, in which riders strive to be “one less” crash statistic in honor of motorcyclists who have been injured or killed in crashes.

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Report Potholes On State Roads

Harrisburg - With the freeze-thaw cycle taking its annual toll on pavement, PennDOT urges motorists to call 1-800-FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623) to report the location of potholes on state roads.

Callers are asked to be as specific as possible when reporting pothole locations. For state routes, callers must report the county, municipality, street name, or preferably the state route (SR) number found on small, black-and-white signs posted along state roadways. Callers should also offer a description of any familiar landmarks that will help PennDOT find the problem area.

The hotline may be used to report any maintenance concern on state roads such as potholes, deer removal or signage issues.

Once notified, PennDOT will work expeditiously to address concerns when weather permits; however, winter services remain the primary focus of maintenance crews at this time of year.

To report potholes on local roads, motorists should contact the municipality in which the pothole is located.

Potholes develop when water seeps below the road through small cracks in the pavement surface. As the water repeatedly freezes and thaws, a cavity below the road is formed and larger cracks develop, causing the pavement to crumble.

The 1-800-FIX-ROAD hotline should not be used to report traffic accidents, disabled vehicles or other emergencies. Motorists should continue to call 911 to report those types of incidents.

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Wildlife Specialists Launch New Website

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Cooperative Extension wildlife specialists have launched a new website - http://extension.psu.edu/wildlife - that provides wildlife information for landowners, homeowners, natural resource professionals, teachers and students alike.

The Wildlife Outreach Web-center, or WOW, offers in-depth information on a variety of wildlife topics ranging from habitat enhancement to controlling nuisance and damage problems that occasionally occur between people and wildlife. Visitors also can find the names of agencies and individuals across the state that can help resolve issues ranging from the skunk under the deck to the injured bird in the backyard. Downloadable fact sheets are included for most topics.

"The website gathers together in one place information we have been providing through Extension over the years and makes it easier for people to find," said Margaret Brittingham, professor of wildlife resources who helped develop the Web-center. "The section on Frequently Asked Questions will enable individuals to find answers to many of the common questions we have received.

"As visitors navigate through the website, they will find numerous opportunities to enhance their knowledge," she said. "One of these ways is by watching or listening to the webinars, which are Web-based seminars created by different professionals."

Brittingham said that webinar topics range from identifying songbirds to rabbit-proofing gardens. "Listening to these webinars is like taking a minicourse in the comfort of your own home," she explained

A section of the website focusing on Penn State research provides a snapshot of scientific topics that underpin the wildlife extension program. This section features links to faculty and graduate student studies, allowing visitors to become immersed in the multitude of investigations and explorations going on in the Wildlife and Fisheries Science program.

"Whether managing for harvest, enhancing habitat for a rare species, or controlling a species that has become a problem, sound science provides the basic information needed to make informed management decisions," Brittingham said.

A page aimed at youth education is a resource for teachers, youth leaders or parents who are interested in teaching children more about the diverse wildlife of Pennsylvania, Brittingham noted. "Information is presented through the various programs, publications, and field days," she said. "Children may learn about a wide range of topics, such as the differences between amphibians and reptiles or tips for writing their own nature journals."

A wildlife news section highlights new and emerging issues and insights both within Pennsylvania and nationally.

Brittingham said the website shows the breadth of wildlife issues and questions Penn State specialists address on a daily basis in the extension wildlife program. She pointed out, however, that extension is a two-way street.

"By working with the public, we are able to discover new issues as they arise, and we hope to use this website as a way to get information out in a timely fashion," she said.

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