Dear Board Members,

I strongly disagree with this petition.  I feel that this petition will be detrimental to the field of dental assisting, dentistry and the rights of patients to be in competent hands.  This would discredit the art and science of dentistry and the education that it requires to effectively perform the procedures.  It takes dentists years of education at a School of Dentistry to learn the science and art of proper restorations. It takes dental assistants that strive for higher education, years of training and additional education to be competent to effectively do the same tasks that are licensed to dentists.  I recently completed Oral Anatomy and Operative Dentistry through a CODA certified DA II program at Germanna Community College. This was a pre-requisite to be able to even apply and be accepted for my lab and clinical skills to attain my DA II in Virginia.  I have been an OTJ trained dental assistant for 20 years, a CDA of my own decision for 12 years, and was an EFDA in Kentucky, through U of K School of Dentistry.  Virginia did not allow me to reciprocate my EFDA skills to this state due to the program that I had completed not being CODA certified. I felt this unfair until I recently completed the Oral Anatomy and Operative Dentistry course.   Now, I realize the education that I was missing from my previous training.  Virginia was right to require my training to be through a CODA certified program.  Even with my 20 years in the field and additional training I did not have the education needed to effectively be restoring teeth.   I don’t feel as if any dentist could appropriate the time to give an assistant the proper training in their office to be a DA II, while they are trying to treat patients and run a practice.  This is not to discredit the abilities of any dentist, as I have worked for and currently work with two exceptional dentists.  The office setting is just not the place for thorough DA II training. To allow this petition through will be taking a step that will be allowing severely under trained assistants to be treating patients.  From experience, I can say that patients will notice this.   We have a Virginia licensed EFDA in our office and patients inquire daily about her education and training.  They are only appeased and comforted by the discussion that she has been trained in an educational institution and licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to be providing their care.  Patients will lose their faith and trust in their dental providers if this petition goes through and becomes a new law.  As an elected Board, you have a duty and responsibility to be an advocate for the people and protect their rights and health, and assure that they get the best possible dental care. 

Summer Woodard, CDA and Team Leader at Powell Valley Dental in Big Stone Gap, VA