If Dental Assistants are going to be able to scale then why am I in school right now.  I do not want to be refused for a job because dental assistants are performing duties (which could harm the patient because they are not trained like hygienists are) that I have been educated to perform.  And they will do it for a much lower salary.  I agree that dental assistants are an important part of the dental team, however what is being proposed can be harmful to the patient and it should be left to the professionals that have been educated on proper scaling.