The legislation allowing dental assistants to scale above the gumline was passed on the grounds that the Board of Dentistry would provide a clear regulatory framework for their education.  For whatever reason they are declining to do this which stands in clear violation of what they were ordered to do by the state legislature.  I personally have already alerted both my state senator and delegate to make them aware of this. 

While I have tremendous respect for the job dental assistants perform, they are not trained the same way licensed dental hygienists are.  I can say this because I was a dental assistant before I became a dental hygienist and I know this to be a fact.  Assistants and hygienists are both valuable parts of the dental team and bring unique, indispensable skill sets to dentistry.  However, dental hygienists have a significantly higher level of formal education and a license which sets them apart.

If we want to really address this problem in Virginia, the dentists and hygienists need to unite with the legislature and seek improved reimbursement from the insurance companies as well as higher maximums so patients can receive the care they deserve.  Spending all this energy pointing fingers about who is making what kind of money is ineffective and a waste of time.  This division is a tremendous disservice to the public we serve.  Can we please fight the real problem here and quit fighting each other?  If we did, perhaps we wouldn't be dealing with this shortage at all.