I RECENTY OVERHEARD MY DENTAL HYGENIST DISSCUSSING THIS MATTER AND IT HAS BOTHERED ME.  I CANT BELIEVE THAT IT IS EVEN BEING CONSIDERED THAT AN ASSISTANT CAN DO A JOB THAT MY HYGENIST STUDIED FOUR YEARS FOR!!  I DONT FEEL THAT ITS A SAFE IDEA AND I WOULD NOT THINK I WAS GETTING THE SAME QUALITY OF CARE THAT MY HYGIENIST GIVES ME.