Scaling teeth should remain within the scope of practice for licensed dental hygienists. Dental hygiene education and training specifically focus on periodontal assessment, instrumentation, calculus removal, and maintaining the health of the oral tissues. Dental assistants play an incredibly important role in the dental team, but allowing assistants to perform scaling could blur the distinction between the two professions and potentially compromise patient safety and quality of care. Patients deserve to have periodontal treatment performed by professionals who have received the appropriate specialized education, clinical training, and licensure to provide that care.