It's obvious from the majority of the posts that the only concern here is job security for the Dental Hygienist.  You have to look at each individual and their experience level.  I would rather have a dental assistant with years of experience working on me than a wet behind the ears hygienist with a piece paper saying they are "qualified".   Education is great, but nothing beats hands on experience.  Their are limitations on what an assistant can and should do; however, I don't think the prospect of expanding their responsibilities should be disgarded so easily.  Besides without assisants on the job the cost of dental care would skyrocket and the quality of treatment would diminish.  I'm in my mid-forties and have had regular dental visits all my life; and 99 and 44/100 percent of the time it has been an assistant that has cleaned my teeth.  Not one complaint.