I strongly oppose allowing dental assistants to scale in any way.  It is the job of the hygienist to scale.  It is the job of the assistant to assist the doctor.  I say if they want to scale let them earn the right to do so by enduring 5 semesters of a dental hygiene program just as I and my fellow classmates are doing.  Then and only then they should be able to scale. 

I am also concerned about the safety of the patients.  We have the training and knowledge to provide scaling in a safe and efficient way.  Any one can walk in off the street and get on the job training as an asisstant.  It takes a select person to be a hygienist.