Hillary Clinton isn't the only one who wants to make sure everyone is insured.
SASgov, the School of Arts and Sciences branch of graduate student government, hosted an essay competition in which participants wrote a 125-word essay to answer the question, "Why do I need dental insurance?" The winners won $250, allowing them to purchase insurance.
The idea for the contest came after SASgov conducted a survey in Dec. 2007 about stipends, in which many students voiced concerns about the affordability of health insurance - and dental insurance in particular, said fifth-year SAS graduate student Roger Turner, the vice president for policy and advocacy for SASgov.
The aim of the competition was to "communicate the need for dental insurance," and SASgov felt it could "support a few individuals of the SAS committee," said Leslie Warden, fifth-year SAS graduate student and SASgov president.
"Since graduate students don't have a lot of savings, insurance is particularly difficult for them," Turner said.
"It's important because it protects them in case of major problems," he added.
SASgov received 13 essays for the competition. Two essays won and each student received $250. Six students were given honorable mentions.
The winners of the competition, advanced doctoral candidate in English Denise Taylor and first-year history Ph.D. student Callum Makkai, were announced during a happy hour reception held yesterday by SASgov.
Taylor's essay, "The Crack," described how she discovered a crack in her tooth and urgently needed dental insurance when she found out her Penn health plan wouldn't cover it.
"I haven't been to a dentist in a long time and wasn't sure how long the brush-and-floss plan would hold up," Taylor said.
The University's health insurance plan currently does not cover dental care, except in cases of injuries caused by accidents.
Makkai's essay, "January 1, 2008," tells the story of how he visited a dentist in China because he couldn't afford to visit one in the United States, but that he might not be able to afford another trip to China when he needs his next visit to the dentist.
Makkai said he thought the competition was a very good idea, since graduate students - whose teeth have gone through greater wear and tear than those of undergraduates - are in greater need of dental health care.
The essays were judged by a panel of students that included SASgov officials and other SAS students.
The other essays in the competition ranged from one in which the writer compared his cavity to a black hole, to another in which the writer wrote that he had "tooth agenesis," or having fewer natural teeth than the average person.
The winners were thrilled with their awards and hope to visit the dentist soon.
"I've always wanted to win a gigantic check, and my dream is [now] fulfilled," Taylor said.
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