Another "campaign"has been waged and many of the "voters" are uneducated about what they are voting for.

DAII is a proposal for expanded functions (not necessarily scaling for dental assistants) that would significantly help alleviate a genuine problem with access to dental care , especially in many rural areas of Virginia. The premise is that a trained and educated assistant who has validated that knowledge with testing and become a CDA would be the individual eligible to become a DAII with further education and training necessary for the expanded function duties that are indicated.

It is my understanding that the Virginia Board of Dentistry's Regulatory Legislative Committee has already eliminated scaling for dental assistants from the list of duties that could be delegated to a dental assistant II. Therefore, the issue is not about allowing dental assistants to scale but  allowing trained and educated CDA's to elevate their skills with additional education and training that would most definitely serve the profession and the patient.

As a past president of the American Dental Assistants Association, I have seen first hand that Expanded functions for dental assistants(which has been in existence throughout the country for many years)  is a viable approach to solve access to care issues and maintain quality care for the patient.

I respect the doctor and hygienist as professionals and these recommendations, should make the dental team stronger not territorial.

Yes to expanded functions for dental assistants as recommended by the Regulatory Committee.!!