I would like to propose that the powers that be consider that dental hygenists do not spend thousands of dollars and endless hours of studying to be denied their knowledge and ability to scale, among countless other services they provide, by allowing dental assistants to perform this service.  The very consideration of this is a slap in the face, in my opinion.  I have personal knowledge of the extreme study that a dental hygenist must endure to gain licensure to practice, and to take away a service they have been trained to do properly is to disrespect the efforts they made to be permitted to provide such service.  Further, if more basic training was required of dental assistants than such as I have seen, there would be no time to include training for scaling.  As a periodontal patient, I want someone who is not only trained to perform the procedure, but who also has the knowledge and ability to educate me with regard to how my oral health affects my overall health; i.e. periodontal disease can lead to heart disease.  Does anyone out there truly believe that a dental assistant program is going to also include the background information that should accompany the procedure?  I think not.  I often wonder if the assistants I have had the misfortune to have assist my dentists were actually in a classroom or did a self-study on the internet.  I say NO to allowing assistants to scale.  Further, I will absolutely say NO to an assistant who attempts to do so on me.  When I pay for services such as cleanings and scalings, it will be to someone who I know has been properly trained and has been supervised performing such procedures in clinics.  I am not aware of such extensive training provided for any dental assistant.  Keep them where they should be; in a chair, under the supervision of the dentist, ASSISTING the DENTIST.