I write this as a patient and the spouse of a Dental Hygiene student.

I do not want an assistant scaling my teeth.  I know the education that my wife is under going to be able to be a licensed Dental Hygienist.  I see the studying that she has to do and the standards that she are held to in the clinical setting.(I have been her patient in her clinic)  I do not think just being an assistant in an office for a certain number of hours is replacement for the education that a RDH goes through and accomplishes.

I noticed that in alot of the comments of individuals in favor of this, many of them say there is a shortage of RDH's, if this is true this is not the answer to this problem.  The answer it seems to me would be an expantion of the current enrolements allowed into the Dental Hygiene programs around the state.  I know that many more students apply to get into the program than actually get in.(usually 3 to 4 times as many)