I am a registered dental hygienist (RDH) and I oppose any effort by the Board of Dentistry to allow an "expanded duty dental assistant" to perform supragingival scaling (scaling above the gum line). Only a licensed dental hygienist or dentist is qualified to determine the need for and perform an oral prophylaxis (dental cleaning). Patients will have a false sense of security if they believe that supragingival scaling is appropriate care.

Registered Dental Hygienists receive a similar amount of education as Registered Nurses.  Can you imagine the Medical Board considering delegating the duties of a nurse to an assistant with no required training other than what they have learned by observing? Can you imagine the Board of Education creating “expanded duty teachers aids” to fill a shortage in teachers?”  The public deserve to continue receiving quality care. In addition to years of studying oral anatomy and related topics such as pharmacology, pathology, and microbiology, a dental hygienist spends years practicing  the correct use of dental instruments. This is followed by State and National Board exams to demonstrate competency. This training process will not be possible in an office setting and our patients will suffer. Patients should not be used as “Guinea Pigs”.

Dental Hygienists are also trained to identify and treat Periodontal Disease (80% of the population is affected by periodontal disease). Supragingival scaling is not appropriate care for this infection. Periodontal Disease has been linked to Heart Disease, Diabetes, Stroke, and pre-term low birth weight babies.Our patient's total health and well being is being compromised when subgingival (under the gums) plaque and calculus is not being removed at each oral prophylaxis (dental cleaning) appointment.

The Dental Board should be protecting the public from substandard care NOT greatly lowering the standard of care and placing the public at risk for poor oral and total health. Although the Dental Board claims that their motivation for this Regulatory Action is to increase access to care, they are only achieving poor care. Consider the analogy to a Teacher versus a “expanded duty teachers aid” ---LOWERING EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS and  REMOVING THE NEED FOR A LICENSE is UNACCEPTABLE in any field, especially for health professionals.

Sincerely,

Patricia Sorey, RDH