I am opposed to dental assistants completing type I perio scaling.  Registered dental hygienists are required to obtain a 2 or 4 year degree plus complete a national and clinical board before allowed to practice.  How is it that an assitant can learn to adequately care for a patient in a matter of weeks?  I have worked first hand with dental assistants performing "cleanings" and I have seen the horrible tissue trauma, subginvial calculus deposits left, and some patients have had nothing but dental assistant cleanings for years and the end result, periodontal disease.   It is not fair for a patient to recieve substandard care.  I have worked in rural areas and the patient's in these areas normally require the thorough care of a dental hygienist.  Our patient's deserve the best care by professional oral health care providers.