I am opposed to allowing dental assistants to perform Type I dental prophys. While I certainly respect all dental assistants and the jobs they perform, they do not have the education or the expertise to deliver the quality of care all patients deserve.

A dental prophy is more than just scaling teeth, I work with the dentist to codiagnose peridontal status, oral cancer, restorative care, patient education and much more. Most dental practices are very busy, the dentist has only a few minutes to do an exam during a hygiene visit. How can an assistant who has limited education and on the job training be qualifed to take on the responsibilities of a hygienist? Our patients deserve the highest standard of care and I hope the State of Virginia will not allow its citizens to receive substandard care.