With deep respect for the time spent in the regulating of this Board, I sincerely ask to voice my educated and experienced position of 34 years in the dental field to be one of passion, dedication and the full awareness of the physical health risks as well as the dental law suit liabilities this action of allowing DA (II) to scale subgingivally (3mm) would result in.

In 1974 I attended Prairie State College for a 1-year Dental Assisting Program. I graduated with honors and received the Ester Wilkins Award. I worked in a gp office and a Periodontal Office in the Chicagoland area. I assisted  the Drs. in surgeries as well as the RDH in initial therapies. All of which prompted me to return to finish my education for complementary sciences and clinical didactic skills necessary for dental hygiene  assessments, counseling and  initial therapies.

In 1980 I graduated from Southern Illinois University in Dental Hygiene. I graduated with honors and received the Eleanor Bushee Award and was selected for the Dental Hygiene Honors Society. I have been an active Dental Hygienist since my graduation; including extensive continuing education courses and RDH online University courses in order to provide optimal dental hygiene services that require comprehensive knowledge of the body's systems due to the whole body health/oral systemic link that we know through scientific research.

I am asking that you not include Scaling as one of the new Dental Procedures to be included in the  "new position" of Dental Assistant II. The dental assistant has always worked very closely with the dentist in the restorative field of dentistry. The restorative dental assistant is intregal to the overall quality of the dental team as she works side by side with the Dentist.

This DA (II) position needs not to become flawed with the additional of subgingival scaling with inadequate educational training necessary to be given in an educational institution.

  Dental Hygienists spend 2 to 4 years minimum; in science- related academics as well as extensive time spent in the clinical setting in order to be skilled to provide initial health screenings and peridontal assessments necessary before providing the highly skilled dental hygiene therapies. This individualized care approach is attained from the high level of education and mentorship from the expansive curriculum and mentorship provided in the College/University setting.

The fine didactic skills that are developed under the mentorship of highly educated and talented dental hgyiene educators simply cannot be subtracted from our Professional Character and maintain the high quality of patient "preventive and therapeutic" care that they are presently receiving.

I fear /know that the quality of  patient care would be greatly compromised, the systemic oral health link would be left wide open for COSTLY LITIGATION for EACH DENTAL PRACTICE and it would end up COSTING MORE to these practices in LOST PREVENTIVE AND THERAPEUTIC QUALITY given to patients but also it will diminish PATIENT TRUST! Patients trust and they know that the dental hygienist is a fine professional because of his/her educational and technical didactic skills.

Please note: There are NO States in the United States that currently allow a Dental Assistant to scale subgingivally to 3mm.  If there is a solution to be found in the challenges of underserved areas of dental health providers, it may be best for the public to grant to the dental hygiene profession in our Commonwealth of Virginia, the status of "independence" in order for all areas to be serviced. The present state of "indirect supervision" limits the RDH from moving to the rural areas where there is an absence of a dentist employing. **Please also call all of the dental temporary agencies in our state and on the web. There are hygienists on the "waiting list" to be called for job opportunities. The dentists are not using the vast expertise out there wanting additional employment. I called dental power yesterday and the rdh's phones are not being called because the dentists are not asking for them.

I most sincerely ask you all to consider the systemic oral health care link and the new American Dental Hygiene Associations Guidelines for Care established this year 2008. Please visit: www.adha.org for the comprehensive guidelines for patient care that is mandatory.

The "Tradition of Excellence" that we as Virginians have promised the public rests on a formal"NO" for the new duties of the DA(II), in regards to the "subgingival 3mm scaling."

IThank you for your time and your profound dedication and sincere consideration of  voting NO on the DA II (Scaling Subgingivally 3mm or less).

Sincerely,

Suzanne P. Page Beaudoin, R.D.H.