Public safety should not be traded for a false access fix

Hello, my name is Kristen Robbins. I am a local registered dental hygienist and a part-time educator.

I want to express my strong opposition to SB 178 and HB 970.

I oppose these bills because they put public safety at risk.

This has been presented as an access-to-care issue, but it is not that simple. If you want real solutions to the perceived hygiene shortage in Virginia, this is not the path.

There are many hygienists in some underserved areas who cannot work because there are not enough dentists available to supervise them.

Another structural issue is that Virginia has one dental school, and many dentists graduate with substantial debt. They are more likely to work in higher-revenue settings where debt repayment is possible, rather than rural areas.

Yes, increasing class sizes can help, but that is not the only solution. We should also ask why program expansion and faculty support are limited.

Another solution is allowing dental hygienists to have their own board. Many professions—including cosmetology and physical therapy—have independent boards. Dental hygiene is one of the only professions still governed by another professional entity.

So there are solutions. Allowing dental assistants to scale above the gums is not one of them.

It will cause harm.

As dental professionals, we are committed to do no harm.

Please protect Virginians and oppose these bills.

This is for profit.

This is not for increasing access to care.

Thank you for your time.

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