I do not believe the dental assistant II should be permitted to scale class I patients.  Please consider the overall health and safety of our patients when making this determination. It is unhealthy to limit instrumentation to the supragingival area. What is to protect our patients from leaving our offices with overlooked/undetected subgingival deposits?  Is the dentist going to do screening on these patients to make certain there is no calculus just below the tissue?  I certainly doubt this would be the case.  Also, what about the oral exam?  As hygienists we study oral pathology in order to provide thorough oral cancer screenings.  We are our often our patient's best advocate in this area. Above all, the right of a patient to a complete and thorough dental examination and prophylaxis must be protected.