Its sad that Dentist are thinking more about their wallets than the patients care.  This is such a bad idea.  I have worked in a practice where assistants do prophys on kids 17 and under.  I can't tell you how many times I have had a scale black subgingival from these poor kids. I read the comment posted by a Dr who said his assistants scale cement, ours do to and again most often it is the hygienist who removes the interporximal cement that was left behing and is now causing probems with the patients gums.  As far as the military already having this program in place, well I also have seen so many patients with perio issuses that were never addressed by the military techs. And while on the topic how many times have we had to clean up after a dentist who did there own scaling?

If the objevtive of this is to provide substandard care to our patients then please allow the assistant to scale.  How are patients going to feel when they come every 6 months for a cleanig and then are told a year later they have perio disease because subgingival tartar was left behind.  As a Dental Hygienist who has gone to school, passed a national board and regional board I provide not only a cleaning but education to  the patient on how to treat and prevent periodontal disease. 

Please do not allow this to happen.  It is not a good idea and in the long run is going to do more harm than good.  And shame on all the doctors trying to save a buck and put their patients in harms way.