DDS should send the DA for 2-4 yrs study in dental hygiene before hiring them to scale patients. DDS should also say to the patients that the DA will scale them ( patients will refuse treatment if they know). I know some ( not many, I hope) DDS hire license/unlicensed DA to do adult/children prophy without guilty feeling. The Patients would pay the same amount of monet for prophy regardless they are treated by DA or RDH/DDS. Patients also should ask the DDS if they are being scaled by professional RDH/DDS. DDS, you should not take advantage of this situation. Patient are in vurnerable when visitng a dental office. Give the patients the best treatment you have. Patien is nomber one. Yes you will get more money if you hire DA do do prophy compare to RDH do the same thing. We should work together as a team to improve standard of treatmen. As a great DDS, you should let RDH do the best job for prevention and education. Give an opportunity to the DA to go to school to get advance education such as become RDH or DDS.