It is my opinion that it will only lead to more cases of misdiagnosis and supervised neglect in periodontal patients. The clinical criteria outlined in the proposed module are in themselves insulting. Dental scaling by definition is the removal of supragingival plaque and calculus. Does this imply that this proposed Preventive Dentistry Module would only teach supragingival scaling and ignore any subgingival dental plaque or calculus that may be present. I oppose this proposed Preventive Dentistry Module for dental assistants because I believe it is eroding the foundation of dentistry by allowing non-dentists to diagnose oral disease.
Diagnosis is the keystone of clinical dentistry.
If we, as dental professionals, allow dental assistants to diagnose and treat periodontal pockets of 5mm or less, we will be proceeding down a very slippery slope of lowering the standard of care that our patients expect and deserve. I strongly urge all the members of the ADA opposed to this proposed module to make their views known to the ADA Board of Governors. The Preventive Dentistry Module is not designed to train dental assistants to perform Periodontal diagnosis. Please note that the normal gingival sulcus ranges from 1mm to 4mm in depth. This module is not intended in any way to take away from the important duties dental hygienists perform, nor will dental assistants completing this module be competing with dental hygienists.