In the mid 1960's I made the decision to leave a liberal arts college to pursue a degree in dental hygiene. In my home state of South Carolina, we had no dental school or school of dental hygiene at that time.  As most of the dentists I knew then were graduates of MCV, I was shocked to learn that this esteemed institution did not have a School of Dental Hygiene.  Instead, I was to look at Indiana Unversity, Ohio State, West Virginia University, Columbia, Penn, and a few others offering a bachelors degree in that area.   I ultimately chose West Virginia U. for various reasons and still am amazed at the education I received during my years at that institution.  As part and parcel of the dental school---- with many of the same professors--- we were made to feel a integral part of the DENTAL HEALTH TEAM-- its main cheerleaders.  Since those days, Virginia and South Carolina have opened several schools of dental hygiene. .. but only Virginia has a school as part of the dental school.  Believe me, that setting is essential for any auxillary to appreciate the various levels of training within Dentistry.   I count as a very good friend, a  Virignia hygienist .  She is a graduate of MCV... as is one of her daughters.  I've always looked to Virginia as one of the "models" in dental education and ethical practice.     BUT, this issue makes me wonder if  the Va. BOD isn't rushing over the cliff like a bunch of lemings in the attempt to ultimately sell the total profession right down the river.  One of my professors once said , "You could train a monkey to do a restoration".    Diluting the importance of ANY procedure in dentistry and increasingly delegating various procedures to the less trained individual ( on every level) sugests to the lay public that  the  hypothetical monkey can truly be trained to do Dentistry... and Dental Hygiene, and Dental Assisting.       Quite frankly, I think the day is long overdue when there is a training program for one all-encompassing Dental Auxillary... someone trained in clerical duties, assisting, dental hygiene procedures , minor laboratory repairs, etc.  Rotating personel would lead to less boredom, more appreciation for team duties, equitable salary scales, and certainly would alleviate stress of absent team members.

      Yes, the responsibility still rests on the dentist's shoulders..... but I am seeing more and more abdication of REAL supervision.  The SC school program is one example.   Younger graduates seem to embrace the idea that warming their private office chair is fine as long as the auxillary "can do it".   And, as Bruce Hutchinson stated concerning the matter at hand, "   the idea of supragingival scaling versus subgingival scaling is impossible to monitor or address".   Exactly....and blurring the line will become the tactic of choice ,  It may benefit the practitioner in the short run  but  dilute ( or negate!)  the profession AS A PROFESSION in the long run.

    Shame on the ADA for kowtowing to the Indian Health initiative and now using it as a springboard to further dilute the profession.  Our "Wal Martinization" of the health care system is falling right into place for all the heath system managerial majors.   And who wins?   Certainly not the American public.  I'm glad we are near  retirement.. but I fear the dental and medical systems to which my grandchildren will be subject.    It is time for  all of us who chose Dental Health as a calling to enforce parameters of training at all levels and realize that the monkey cannot be truly EDUCATED in the health sciences.  If Dental Assistants want to scale teeth... go to Dental hygiene school... if  Dental Hygienists want to practice Dentistry... go to Dental School.    There is a difference between TRAINING and EDUCATION.... isn't that the definition of a PROFESSION ????  

   And yes, I do know that MCV is now VCU....