Dear Virginia Board of Dentistry,

I am opposed to DA II scaling.

I do not feel that just anybody (DAII) should be granted a position as a "hygienist".  A hygienist an in intricate part of the dental team with 4 years of professional training under their belt.  While cleaning the teeth they help point out  caries and questionable oral cancer lesions to the doctor.  Unfortunately doctors are not perfect and sometimes it helps to have 4 educated eyes rather than 2.  Hygienist are also excellent in patient education and in preventing future dental problems (money well spent).   Fact of the matter a lot of training goes into a hygienist professional degree of 4 years that i don't think somebody could be pick up in a couple of classes. 

If this bill were to pass, dental assistance would be performing the work of hygienist.  The standard of care would be compromised in my opinion.  Before long insurances would realize that cost were lower and would decrease benefits paid on cleanings and we would get nowere fast with less quality of care. 

Furthermore then the hygienist would be pushing for hygienist practicioners wanting to do fillings and extractings because cleaning teeth is no longer their field.  Is a hygienist with a 4 year degress as qualified to deliver the standard of full dental care that an 8+ year degree doctor can?  Rhetorical i hope.

In my opinion that state professional education is excellent at training dentist to be dentist, hygienist to be hygienist.  When you start demanding more than what they have been professionally trained to do then the standard of care is lowered.  When you demand somebody to perform a professional service without professional training... yet just a few classes?

If a DA want to be a hygienist... send then to hygiene school... if a hygienist want to be a dentist ...send them to dental school... if a dentist want to be an oral surgeon... specialize...etc. 

Good luck with this one.