As a Registered Dental Hygienist, I strongly oppose allowing the DA II to perform any scaling duties on patients. What we really need to address here is that scaling is not the only thing that is included in a recall cleaning. You cannot train an assistant to just scale someone's teeth. There is so much more involved in providing complete care for our patients. If "scaling" is all a hygienist did, then optimal oral healthcare would never be met.

As hygienists, our profession includes so much more than just scaling. We monitor health history, assess periodontal disease and gingivitis, detect caries, provide oral cancer screenings, and educate our patients on necessary oral hygiene instructions. We as hygienists are able to precisely perform all these duties because we have gone through the extensive training and education on understanding the science of oral health. We have passed National and Regional board examinations to prove we are capable of performing these necessary duties. We are able to offer our patients a thorough examination and cleaning because we have the specialized background education that is required.

I believe patients who would receive care from the DA II would not be receiving the same overall optimal care. No matter what classification a patient is, they still deserve the quality care a dental hygienist provides. They deserve the same right to receive care from a licensed professional who does much more than just "scale" their teeth.