I am very opposed to this proposed regulation! Dental Assitance are not educated in answering questions a patient may pose. Questions about perio disease or even the simplest question on how to brush and why. Would they know the correct answers? Or would they just make something up? How would a Dental assistant know the correct way to angle an instrument without harming a patient? How about instructions with oral hygiene or oral cancer screening? Would they know the difference with a patient who doesn't floss or doesn't floss? We honestly know some patient do not floss but have little calculus, but we still educated but about perio disease and how its harmful to them and love ones. How about the effects of instrumentation the correct way to not harm their hand? Having carpel tunnel syndrome is one of the main effects. This takes experience and education which an RDH has. This proposed regulation is an attempt from some dentists to increase profit! They wish to lower their cost of operations by dismissing the duties of dental hygenists while sacrificing their patient potential health. We ENDURE years of study and money to obtain a position that is rarely respected and often does not provide basic benefits. In conclusion, this proposal needs to be DISMISSED. Our livelihood depends on the quality of dental care we provide patients.
