Having practiced dental hygiene for 20 plus years I have yet to witness a dentist that had time in his/her busy schedule to preform a thorough periodontal exam on the recall patients,  not to mention making the patients aware of the areas where thier hygiene needs improvement, help with tobacco cessation, nutrition guidence, calling the patients physician to check on current medications or the possible need for premedication, answering the patients questions about the effectiveness of the new dental product they saw advertised, having time to explain the periodontal disease connecton to home care, the proper way to floss, and the many other ways the hygienist contributes to the well being of the patient.  Our patients deserve this level of care. I feel confident that the Virgina Board of Dentistry will continue to put the health and safety of the patients first and not allow a lowering of the standard of care which will begin by allowing DA to scale, please vote no.