I recently spent $2300 to take a dental hygiene refresher course to reinstate my lapsed Connecticut dental hygiene license (21 years). Not only would I have not let myself perform a prophy before taking this course, there is no way I would allow a dental assistant to perform a prophy on me. 

The first dentist I worked for in 1976 trained his assistant to illegally perform scalings on unwitting patients. The only reason was to increase his production and, therefore, his income. Indeed, I can only conclude that the only reason to allow assistants in VA to do scaling is to maximize the dentist's income, not to improve the public's access to dental care.

If proponents sincerely believe assistants should be allowed to be trained to do scalings without taking the numerous classes required for a dental hygiene license, then why shouldn't hygienists and assistants be trained to perform ALL dental procedures? And if assistants are doing the scalings will the fee charged reflect their lower salary? Will a prophy then cost $20 instead of upwards of $70?

If scaling can be taught 'on the job', why can't anyone be taught to do all dental procedures? Why do we need dentists? The cost of dental care would decrease dramatically if there were no dentists with private practices and student loans and instead only clinics run by trained staff. Why is the background science necessary for dentists?

Perhaps I've convinced myself that assistants should be trained to do scalings, but only if hygienists, and assistants, can be trained to do all dental procedures thereby eliminating the need for dentists. Those without dental insurance would immediately have access to dental care because the cost should drop dramatically.