Teaching dental assiatnts to scale Type 1 periodontal patients is good for patients and good for the Commonwealth of Virginia. To implement this regualtion would give the entire state better access to quality care and would give our capable hygienists more time to devote to the more difficult cases which they alone are qualified to treat. Having a regulation that allows trained dental assistants to scale simple Type 1 cases is not a threat to the patient or the hygienists. If hygienists can be trained to give local anesthesia then assitants can be trained to scale Type 1 patients. No change come s easy but everyone stands to prosper with this well thought out change for our dental assistants.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.