As a first year Dental Hygiene student, I strongly oppose granting Dental Assistants the power and ability to scale.  Not only will this hinder over oral healthcare, but it will also hinder the overall educational opportunities all Dental Hygienists have to offer patients.  We work hard and go through as much schooling as we do for a reason.  Not only will this affect Dental Hygiene as an overall profession, but also the many patients who seek adequate healthcare.  I am absolutely shocked that this would ever have been a consideration in the healthcare field period.