Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association Position Paper

The real issue is dental insurance companies and their crappy reimbursement rates.

If this is passed this would reduce quality of care for patients. Hygienists have 2 years dedicated to honing their skills in periodontal therapy and pass boards to be able to practice publicly. Allowing dental students who just primarily focus on restorative work and do not have as extensive training as hygienists in periodontal therapy and foreign dentists who have different requirements overseas to become a dentist vs here in the states to NOT HAVE TO PASS BOARDS to work on patients is a disservice to the general public.

Signed

I support VDHA's position opposing policies that degrade the standards of Dental Hygiene education and practice that will also jeopardize the public's well being. Who would ever agree to being a passenger in a car driven by an unlicensed driver? Wisely, that is recognized as an illegal act in the USA.

I am opposed this method of trying to address the supposed shortage of Registered Dental Hygienists. This does not serve the public's dental health that would be provided by unqualified others. I say nay.

Only American Dental Hygiene Association are think of the public they were trained to take care of thru good oral hygiene.

Dental Assistants are very appreciated but they did not obtain the school a dental hygienist has not right to allow them to do jobs we earned and replace us ! I can't do work that the dentist does so they shouldn't be allowed to do what I do

Deidra Zehr, RDH for 10 yrs

Why in the world would we want to erode dental standards in this country and aim to become a third world country as far as dental care is concerned? We need to work, instead , on raising the standards for all while finding a more efficient way to train highly qualified students and more efficient tools to help them do their work!

Dentists learn scaling for a few days not years.

This is ridiculous and undermines our education,

accreditation is important!

I do not agree with this philosophy. It is necessary to have trained people do this job.

These proposals will absolutely directly have a negative impact our communities and populations. Expanding the role of our profession and utilizing our scope to it fullest capacity would have a much greater impact on oral heath access.

It is not an adequate solution to a shortage in the workforce to just let people without the proper training or licenses work in the field.

Education and licensing standards matter!

As a retired dentist, I agree with the Virginia Dental Hygienist Association. We do need more properly trained hygienists but watering down credentials is NOT the answer

Highest urgency to protect patient welfare and professional integrity.

Instead of seeking ways to eliminate our Bachelors Degree level profession, let’s seek to add a post-bachelorette Dental Hygiene Practitioner pathway (same route as Nurse Practitioner) to add well educated/experienced dental practitioners and community accessibility

Free the hygienists!