I "cleaned" teeth for 4 years as a navy technician before becoming a hygienist.  Even then, I knew that I wasn't doing a quality cleaning and told my patients to see a licensed hygienist when they could.  Now, more than ever, with the information we have on systemic complications of perio disease, it's morally and professionally wrong to treat our patients with any less care than an RDH can treat them.  All hygienists know that it's rare to have a dentist do a thorough job.  We have to clean up after them enough times to know this.  To have them supervise assistants is a joke and a poor one at that.  Who is going to tell the patient about perio disease, it's causes, and the serious complications if an assistant "cleans" their teeth?  Let's get real, it's a money thing for the dentists.  That's the bottom line.  If not, how can they justify giving the patient less than expert care?  As noted on prior comments, why not let hygienists do some of their simpler procedures?  They scream to high heaven about patient risk then, don't they?  What's the difference?  Say no to dumbing down patient care and standards!