To The Virginia Board of Dentistry and other supporters of DAII approval:

I have been a dedicated dental hygienist since 1982 when I graduated from the BS program at VCU / MCV.  At that time, there was fear amongst dentists that the hygienist would become too independent and want to expand the realm of their practice as well as their duties ;  throughout my career much attention has been given to "protecting the public"  from well educated and licensed professionals  as hygienists are......so why all of a sudden does it make sense to allow another much less experienced, uneducated, unlicensed dental auxilliary to intervene in order to achieve what is being disguised as "access to care "? !    Your first solution to this problem began when "General Supervision" was finally approved.  And yet another solution is to continue to support development of 2 year programs, if you want to increase the # of hygiene graduates ( these programs in Va. are becoming a reality in the near future).

And most importantly, a Dental Hygienist represents more than just someone that "cleans teeth"....like cleaning the cement from the margins of a crown as one DDS commented here !    From many years of hearing patient's experiences with substandard periodontal care while in the military, why would I agree to model a training program after that method of care ?  AND why have all states REQUIRED that these "trained" Corpsmen/hygienists, as they exit the military wanting to continue in the same field,   go through the proper education and licensure that is required of all others wanting to be hygienists in civilian life  .... the board of dentistry must not have had confidence in their training or their abilities.   The Board has been smart in assuming that this type of training is not a COMPREHENSIVE type of education that is adequate for even basic invasive and preventive periodontal procedures !  

Due to the supervision that would be required by the DDS ( ie. to diagnose the existence of anything more that just 3mm. depths to allow a DA II to proceed etc. ), and compenstion for his time...the reality is that access to care and lower fees WILL NOT HAPPEN !!  This point is echoed in other comments not only by hygienists but by, I am so glad to say, other dentists, like Donald Levitan and Jamie Park etc.. These dentists recognize hygienists as they should be viewed in the dental team.  Others I am disappointed and quite shocked to read, feel that they should start "importing" hygienists from other states to achieve what they want ( see Lonny Grimmer DDS ) My late father, Dr. Jim Hager supported and respected the hygiene profession, and would also be disappointed at these attempts to alter the care given to our patients.   PLEASE do not support what others here have described as 'supervised neglect'.  That is truly what will exist if DAII with scaling duties is approved !