Hygienists must go through rigorous schooling to  be able to provide patient care that is morally and clinically safe. Taking our jobs away and letting uneducated dental assistants completely undermines our education. Do you see nursing assistants giving iv’s and treating medically critical patients? No! Then as a medical professional, why are Hygienists any different? The answer to our shortage isn’t the number of hygienists available, it’s the number of respectful dental offices who treat our profession with such disrespect. Medical care isn’t about saving money for sub-par care. Let’s work on educating our Dentists to be more respectful of the value and knowledge we provide!