Prior to becoming an RDH I was an RDA.  I can tell you that I had no where near the education or competency to perform a dental prophylaxis.  I feel that although the DA is an essential component of the dental team they are not qualified to provide a routine prophy and is usually extremely bust assisting the DDS and performing othere essential duties.  As we all know there is no such thing as "just a cleaning", which we hear all the time from our patients.  If we lower  the high standards in place, which are so important for proving competent, comprehensive quality dental care then we will be sanctioning the  "just a cleaning" mentality/perception.

I work in an environment where dental techs are utilized in just the way that is being proposed.  I can tell you that the patients feel cheated ,when they learn the differences between the DA and RDH prophylaxis and I am not referring to Perio II, III and IV patients. As and RDH I find more often than not that we play catch up to yrs of supra prophies.   I would be disappointed as a patient to be billed the same for my  prophy provided by a DA as opposed to the DDS or RDH.  The RDH goes through intensive training both didactically and clinically to provide the patient with the best care possible, the DA does not and this could be detrimental to  the patients over time.  There are far more hygienists graduating than dentists, so there are plenty of hygienists to meet the need in dental offices.  The DA does not need to be utilized this way.

Don't we owe it to our patients,who literally place thier oral health care in our hands, to provide them with the best comprehensive care by qualified practitioners.  Would you want your next dental prophy to be provided by a less qualified provider?