THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY MURT, BISHOP, B. BOYLE, BRADFORD, BRIGGS, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, D. COSTA, DALEY, DAY, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FLECK, GABLER, GEIST, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GROVE, HARHART, HARKINS, HEFFLEY, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, KILLION, KOTIK, KULA, LAWRENCE, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANN, McGEEHAN, MILLARD, MILNE, MOUL, MUSTIO, PYLE, QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, ROCK, ROEBUCK, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SONNEY, STERN, TAYLOR, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATSON AND WHITE, MAY 23, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MAY 23, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Congratulating the Pennsylvania Dental Association for its

efforts to improve access to dental care.

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Dental Association fosters

volunteerism and encourages its more than 5,500 members to

provide direct patient care and engage with others in their

communities to improve access to dental care for all

Pennsylvanians; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Dental Association recognizes that

this Commonwealth has one of the greatest populations of senior

citizens in the nation and that many of them have unmet dental

needs; and

WHEREAS, Many Pennsylvanians who are disabled, elderly or

medically at risk suffer from seriously neglected dental

problems because they cannot afford treatment; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Dental Association recognizes that

prevention and education is key to developing good oral hygiene

habits that prevent the need for more costly treatment for

patients and taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Pennsylvania Dental Association

continue to donate care to the aged, disabled and medically

compromised through the Donated Dental Services program,

providing $8,598,852 in free services to more than 4,000

vulnerable patients since 1996; and

WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is one of 39 states that, in 2010

alone, collectively generated $22.7 million in donated care for

more than 7,300 patients enrolled in the Donated Dental Services

program; and

WHEREAS, More than 800 dentists provide discounted services

to hundreds of senior citizens in need through the Pennsylvania

Dental Association's Senior Dental Care Program, enabling many

senior citizens to obtain affordable dental care and helping

them to enjoy good health and well-being; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate the

Pennsylvania Dental Association for its efforts to improve

access to dental care and extend a heartfelt thank you to

thousands of volunteer dentists for providing quality dental

care to Pennsylvania's senior citizens.