As a current dental hygienist, I strongly urge you to decline this proposal.  I feel the assistant and hygienist should be kept seperate, as the cirruculum and training a hygienist goes through takes time and strong effort.  If the assistants would like to become hygienists, they are more than welcomed to become a hygienist.  Patients also deserve to be treated by liscensed and trained professionals in the specific field of scaling.  If Dentists feel this would help with time management, I doubt the patient would feel the same, and the dentist may not have the patients full health interest in mind.

I would like to note the responses of almost 100% of the hygienists and dental patients, as well as many DDS' who would like to decline this proposal. 

Please understand this is not just for the belittleing of the hygiene profession but for the patient standard of care as well.

Thank you kindly