Winners of PDA's 2015 National Children's Dental Health Month statewide poster contest announced

Third-grader Davida Brannigan of Solomon Plains Elementary in Luzerne County will receive a $500 prize for winning first place in the Pennsylvania Dental Association's (PDA) 2015 National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM) statewide poster contest.

Davida's winning poster reminded everyone to maintain a vital habit for good oral health, brushing twice a day, and depicted a blue toothbrush cleaning away green plaque monsters with the slogan "Brush Twice A Day To Keep The Monsters Away." Davida will be presented with her framed winning poster and $500 prize by a PDA member dentist at an upcoming school awards assembly in June. Solomon Plains Elementary and Davida's teacher, Mrs. Michelle Krzywicki, also will receive prizes of $250 each for being part of first place in PDA's contest.

Solomon Plains Elementary has the distinction of having both the first and second place winners this year, and both from the same family. Second place winner Destina Brannigan, Davida's sister and also a third-grade student from Solomon Plains in Luzerne County, created an imaginative poster based on the classic video game, Pac-Man ("Plaque-Man: Fight Back When Plaque Attacks"), with a tooth navigating through a Pac-Man style maze going after plaque ghosts. Destina will receive a $250 prize.

Depicting a healthy amusement park scene featuring good brushing and flossing, our third place poster was created by third-grader Aubrie Judd of Colonel John Siegfried Elementary in Northampton. In her poster, Aubrie shows happy teeth as roller coaster cars heading down a coaster hill toward a toothbrush with minty toothpaste and a red and pink package of dental floss. The message reads "Rolling into Health!" Aubrie will receive a $100 prize.

The following students were among the statewide Top 10 entries and will receive an Honorable Mention:

• Lilly Burger – Age 9, New Holland Elementary, New Holland
• Adam Dumbach – Age 8, John Siegfried Elementary, Northampton
• Mia Fox – Age 9, Gill Hall Elementary, Jefferson Hills
• Jonathan Jean – Age 9, The Wyndcroft School, Pottstown
• Kendyl Kelly – Age 8, Stewartsville Elementary, North Huntingdon
• Daevin Myers – Age 9, St. Nicholas/St. Mary's Catholic Elementary, Wilkes-Barre
• Briella Pangaio –Age 8, Moore Elementary, Bath

The winning posters were selected from nearly 150 clever, well-designed entries submitted to the PDA Central Office for judging. The contest was open to third-grade students in any Pennsylvania public, private or charter school. More than 1,500 schools were contacted for participation.