Scaling isn’t mechanical: it’s clinical care

I speak not only as a dental professional but as someone whose patients and livelihood would be directly affected by this legislation.

Dental hygienists complete rigorous education and clinical training, typically two years or more, and it’s focused specifically on oral anatomy, periodontology, instrumentation techniques, radiology, systemic disease processes, infection control, and the identification of oral pathology.

Scaling teeth is not merely a mechanical task. It is a clinical procedure that requires the ability to assess tissue health, recognize early signs of periodontal disease, detect potential oral cancer, and identify systemic conditions that often first present in the mouth.

Allowing minimally trained assistants to perform scaling procedures puts patients at the risk of undiagnosed period disease, missed signs of oral cancer, failure to recognize systemic health conditions that manifest in the mouth first, and irreversible tooth and gingival trauma from improper instrumentation.

The difference between adequate and improper scaling can mean the difference between prevention and progression of disease.

Also, even the healthiest of patients still get tartar under the gums.

Once attachment loss or tissue trauma occurs, it cannot be reversed.

And while I understand the intent of expanding access to care, lowering educational standards for clinical procedures does not improve patient health outcomes. Instead, it compromises safety and it diminishes the level of care that Virginians deserve.

As a professional who has invested significant time, education, and clinical training into mastering the skill safely and effectively, I strongly urge you to protect the public by voting no on this bill.

Our patients deserve qualified, thoroughly trained providers when it comes to procedures that directly impact their oral and systemic health.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

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