To the Board Members:  I have practiced in this commonwealth for 44 years and have watched great strides to improve delivery of oral health care to the public. When I first started, hygienists weren't allowed to take radiographs, only the assistants could! Things have really changed for the better. However, I am dismayed that the Board would consider an dental assistant scale teeth! I had to study and practice, practice, practice scaling teeth. We also have to know what comes along with those teetgh! A PERSON.  Would you like an untrained person, namely second string, scaling your teeth and then still paying the same amount for treatment? I don't think so.  What a tremendous liability that would be incurred under this format. Has anyone considered that assistants might not want to scale teeth? What about hygienists preparing and filling teeth? How about that? As you can gather, I am against this concept. Thank you for all your hard work on this and many other issues.