Scaling and cleaning teeth is an important responsibility.  If DAs are allowed to scale what was the purpose of hygienists going to school for this degree and going through the scrutiny to master their profession.   You might as well close down dental hygiene programs around the country and open up trade schools and let any single parent with some extra time on their hands learn to clean teeth.  This may seem like an absurd analogy, but if you open pandora's box now, it will be that much easier to pass legislation down the road to lower standards to allow for MORE people into the field that have no business being involved.  This opens up dentists and insurance companies to lawsuits due to increased mistakes from inexperienced DAs.  If they would like to be hygienists, they can attend a program before they are shut down and after that just attend one of the Virginia mandated trade schools set up through this ridiculous proposal.