I cannot overstate my opposition to this proposal to allow a minimally trained technician to practice dentistry on an ususpecting patient.   Virginia already has a category of an educated, trained, and licensed  person to perform this vital preventive treatment, the RDH.

To allow a DA II to pracice dentistry  using a sharp instrument in the mouth of  an unsuspecting patient is more than a bad idea.   I dooubt  that any Virginia dentist would admit to his unsuspecting patient that the non RDH he is permitting to treat his patient is in fact a very minimally trained DA.  The fee will undoubtedly be the same as if a competent  licensed RDH were treating the patient.

Patients deserve to have licensed professionals treating them, not a supervised minimally trained technicians.  I do not believe this is an access to care issue, rather an explloitation of a minimally trained DA II to enchance the bottom line. If a dental assistant wishes to practice dental hygient, there are educational programs available.