Yes to the initiative to allow dental assistant - II's to do scaling.  Any action that an assistant can perform that does not include the cutting of soft or hard tissue should be included in the services that an assistant can perform.  I've listened to both sides of the arguments, and I feel that those supporting a "No" vote have little logical evidence to support the "horrific outcomes" that they are predicting if this issue passes.  I say to them .... GET REAL!!

Those who are speaking out about this are overpaid Virginia hygienists who want to keep their inflated income level (when compared to other states where a shortage of hygienists does not exist), or they are doctors who do not understand the issue, or who have powerful arm-twisting hygienists in their office.  Fellow doctors, who calls the shots here?  In Northern Virginia, we are forced to pay such astronomical salaries for hygiene services, that if we get one or two cancellations on the hygienist's schedule, we are barely breaking even!!

This problem will only continue to escalate unless something like this is done, or unless we start to import hygienists from other states where they are more than happy to work for a reasonable wage!

I VOTE YES.