I encourage passage of each of the above bills. These are all improvements for the residents of our state ,in safety , legal protection and personal freedom and responsibility.

Good day. I’m a practicing registered dental hygienist and I oppose this bill that allows for a dental assistant to receive a certificate to be able to scale people’s teeth. I spent four years educating myself in the applied science field. I spent an additional two years in a dental hygiene program. I’ve learned head and neck, anatomy, oral cancer, screenings, periodontal, disease, detection, histology and pathology. There is more to my job than just scaling plaque off of teeth. A dental assistant and a certification program will not teach the vital responsibilities of dental hygiene and patients will suffer. This is a direct slap in the face to my profession and to the whole dental community. And I speak with direct knowledge I was a dental assistant for six years before I went to dental hygiene school. Even after I graduated dental hygiene school, I have spent countless hours educating myself on periodontal disease and attending dental continuing education so that I am always providing my patience with the best care possible. I asked that you please reconsider this bill and vote no!! Thank you for your time and attention to this very important matter.

background data on other states that have rejected this legislation, new follow update on another state that shows access to care did not increase and reasons why behind the workforce shortage. Solutions are needed and briefly introduced.

Approving this bill will take a detrimental impact on the communities most at need. Improper prophylactic procedures will mask disease and exacerbate risks to the public including increase in Medicaid costs in the end. These costs will seem lower at first until disease progresses into life threatening infections in the states most vulnerable populations resulting in increased costs in emergency room visits with infections, exacerbations of medical diseases like diabetes and heart disease. It is appalling that this bill would be proposed to solve a perceived shortage of qualified professionals that depend on dental hygienists to prevent disease and some spend 3,000 of education and residency hours practicing to prevent. This bill will allow on the job training of 129 hours which does not equate to a proper prevention model. The definition of prophylaxis or D1110 is "Removal of plaque, calculus, and stains from the tooth structures and implants in the permanent and transitional dentition. It is intended to control local irritational factors." which the current bill proposed does not serve. Vote no to protect the patrons of this beautiful state. I am a master level dental hygienist with specialty in community outreach, and public health in my county of Fairfax, VA.

Dental Hygienists are prevention specialists. We have training in microbiology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, histology, periodontology, pathology and public health outside of the physical training on how to scale teeth. This prepares us to evaluate and treatment plan our patients needs. To let an untrained assistant or a foreign trained dentist do any of this is substandard care. If the foreign trained dentist wants to do it let them pass the same written and hands on board tests hygienists have to complete prior to being licensed.

I am writing to oppose HB970. They claim this will give people better access to care. If you are okay with the people of Virginia getting access to substandard, poor care, then sure. We deserve better than this!!

As a dental hygienist with a bachelor's degree, this would create a significant risk to our patients health. 1. Simply removing calculus above the gumline is not the standard of care. Deposits left subgingivally will continue to cause periodontal disease. 2.Rarely when scaling, can calculus above the gum line be removed without going subgingivally to remove the deposit. 3.We are educated on disease prevention, and oral and systemic health,. There is an abundance of research that shows the oral bacteria that causes Periodontal disease is also connected to heart disease, dementia/alzheimers, preterm labor, among other illnesses. We don't just clean the calculus off teeth. We restore oral health and allow tge patient to have better overall health 4 Even the VDA president states that a hygienist would still have to see the same patient as the assistant to remove subgingival deposits. How is this going to help?

Dear House Health and Human Services, Subcommittee on Health Professions, I strongly oppose HB970, After examining the language of the bill, on line 66, the bill requests that regulations promulgated by the Board of Dentistry be exempt. This means that the current regulations established by the Board of Dentistry would not apply to Preventive Dental Assistants. This exemption raises concerns regarding consistency and patient safety. If passed, the bill would create three categories of dental assistants: • DENTAL ASSISTANT I (NO SPECIFIC FORMAL EDUCATION OR STATE REGISTRATION IS MANDATED, MUST WORK UNDER DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A LICENSED DENTIST) • DENTAL ASSISTANT II (ACTIVE CERTIFICATION AS A CERTIFIED DENTAL ASSISTANT FROM DENTAL ASSISTING NATIONAL BOARD, COMPLETE A CODA -ACCREDITED DA II PROGRAM, REGISTRATION WITH THE VIRGINIA BOARD of DENTISTRY. • PREVENTIVE DENTAL ASSISTANT (NO SPECIFIC FORMAL EDUCATION, NON-CODA ACCREDITED, NOT DANB CERTIFIED) Additionally, this bill requests that the Preventive Dental Assistant be permitted to perform the same duties as both DA I and DA II. This expansion of duties, combined with the exemption from the Board of Dentistry regulations, warrants scrutiny and should be halted. Melvena J. Peace, Registered Dental Hygienist

Letter provided in opposition to HB970 and HB1036

Please oppose HB970. Cleanings “above the gumline” are not cleanings at all. It’s basically having a patient pay to have their teeth brushed. It’s entirely cosmetic and does nothing to prevent disease. The hard deposits BELOW the gumline are what need to be removed to prevent disease. This is not just substandard care, it is negligence. This bill does not create even one more dental hygienist. It will push more out of the field. It’s bewildering to me as a dental hygienist that a dentist would find this acceptable at all. Perhaps this lack of appreciation for what we do has some impact on the workforce shortage.

Please see attached file: Re: Opposition to HB 970 – Protecting Patient Safety and Dental Hygiene Standards

The laws trying to allow assistants and foreign trained dentists to scale are concerning. I keep seeing statements that it will expand access to care. What kind of care is it? More people having access to substandard care is not care. I do not know of one dentist who will sit, watch, and supervise someone else cleaning teeth for 20 hours. They will not take time out of their production filled schedule to properly train an assistant if it could even be accomplished that quickly. Also, most dentists do not clean teeth very well by their own admission. Who will make sure the assistants only scale above the gum line and that it is a healthy patient? The people who have not had care due to access issues typically are not healthy anyway. Who will complete periodontal probing? Is it even possible to clean appropriately without being sub gingival? How are you going to track any of this? Just take people’s word that they are following the law? It’s concerning because patient safety and quality of care are at risk without any oversight of how this is going to be implemented in real offices.

Please vote to oppose this bill. Cleaning only above the gum line even in healthy individuals is a disservice to their health. As a dental hygienist, there is not one single patient that I do not clean below their gum line. In a 1mm-deep gingival pocket there can be more than 10 billion bacterial cells. A healthy gingiva is 1-3 mm deep. That's a lot of infection left behind by above the gum line cleanings. For the health and safety of our community, please oppose HB 980.

I am writing to inform you that I OPPOSE HB1036 and HB970. As a dental professional, I know that if these bills are passed, we are putting the health of Virginia citizens at risk. Why would we consider something that is not in the best interest of our community? These bills would lower the standard of care in our state. One point I'd like to bring up is the assistants being allowed to scale above the gums only. This is an absolute waste of time. If someone is going to a dental hygiene appointment and only having their teeth scaled above the gums, you are not getting proper care. The entire point of going to a dental hygiene appointment with a LICENSED and EDUCATED dental hygienist is to have the tarter removed from below the gums to prevent an infection or treat an infection if one has already started. So we are going to allow patient's to get an above the gum cleaning only? And allow the tarter to just remain there under the gums? This is supervised neglect. The patient's that have these above the gum only cleaning are going to have major periodontal (gum) infections in the future. This is going to damage their overall health (because gum disease is associated with heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer, etc.) and they are going to have to pay more money to get this treated when it could have been prevented in the first place. There is also absolutely no way dentists are going to be able to monitor and oversee what is really happening in these appointments. And allowing a dentist from another country to come to the United States and work as a hygienist is taking away jobs from American dental hygienists and also lowering the standard of care we expect. Training requirements and education for dentists in other countries varies. How do we know that they received the training and education that we have in America? Who is verifying this? These bills are backed by money hungry insurance companies and greed. Please protect Virginia!

I am a registered dental hygienist in Roanoke, Virginia and I oppose HB970 due to concerns about patient safety and the quality of care. Licensed dental hygienists complete rigorous, accredited education programs that include extensive clinical training, courses in anatomy, pathology, infection control, and more. These courses are then followed by national and state licensure examinations. This level of preparation ensures hygienists can safely perform scaling and identify oral disease, training that far exceeds the limited requirements proposed for preventative dental assistants under this bill. Oral health is closely linked to overall health. Periodontal disease is associated with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic inflammation. Allowing individuals who have a lack of sufficient training to perform preventive procedures risks improper care and may lead to undetected disease and negatively impact systemic health. Dental scalers are sharp instruments that require advanced clinical skill and judgment. Improper use can cause injury to the gingiva, enamel, and surrounding tissues. Additionally, many individuals experience dental anxiety and rely on the trust that their care is being provided by a licensed, highly trained professional. Allowing preventive procedures to be performed by those who are not properly trained may undermine patient confidence and discourage people from seeking necessary care. For these reasons, I oppose HB970. Patient safety and high standard of care must be prioritized. Thank you for your time.

Concerned citizens of Hampton Roads signed a peition to STRONGLY OPPOSE HB 970 AND HB 1036. The attachment is too large for attaching here, so please check your emails delegates as I will send them there as well. There are 1010 signatures we have been able to collect since starting on 1/21/26 and we will continue to collect and share as we get them. Thank you.

I OPPOSE HB970 and HB1036! These bills are not in the best interest of Virginians. Our health is at risk if we allow these nonsense bills to pass. Please protect the health of Virginians! Dentists do not want to deal with the possible risks associated with these bills.

I am writing to oppose SB178, which would allow dental assistants to perform dental hygiene services through on-the-job training.  Dental hygienists complete accredited education programs providing extensive knowledge regarding anatomy and physiology, head and neck and dental anatomy, radiology, local anesthesia, periodontics, pathology, pharmacology, public health, medical emergencies, and many other aspects of clinical care. In order to obtain licensure, we must pass national, state, and clinical board examinations and meet ongoing continuing education requirements for the rest of our career. On-the-job training cannot replace this level of education or clinical preparation. Dentists are restorative professionals, not trained to educate in the preventative services of dental hygiene, and most offices lack the resources to provide adequate training.  The bill's 1,800-hour requirement is misleading, as it does not ensure experience in direct dental hygiene services such as scaling with hand or mechanical instruments- the primary skills the bill seeks to expand.  Lowering education and licensure standards puts patient safety at risk and can lead to missed disease, incorrect diagnostics, and incomplete, negligent care. Workforce shortages, especially those in healthcare, should never be addressed by reducing professional standards, and ignoring years of education and professional training.  I respectfully urge you to oppose SB178 and support policies that protect public health and patient safety.  Sincerely, Jada Keene

I am writing to OPPOSE HB970 and HB1036. This bill is backed by corruption and greed. HB970 would essentially allow for supervised neglect in dental care. Dental assistants serve an important roll in dentistry, but they are required to have NO educational background. Dental hygienists spend at least 2 years studying their practice in disease prevention and disease treatment. Nail techs are required to do more hours of training than what this bill proposes for just anybody off the street to be using sharp instruments in your mouth. This makes no sense! Please protect the health and well being of the people of this state. Don't let Virginia fall below the standard of care when it comes to our oral health. Virginians deserve better! HB1036- If dentists want to come work in the United States as either dentists or dental hygienists, they need to go through the same education and training to make sure that we are receiving the standard of care that you would expect from your health care professionals!

I am writing in opposition of HB970 that is trying to be passed. As a proud Dental Hygienist and that has a bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene for the past almost 12 years, I do not believe this bill is increasing “access to care.” It is doing the exact opposite! You are increasing the risk of periodontal disease, patient injury, malpractice, and insurance fraud. I understand a dental assistant will not be able to “scale” subgingival (beneath the gum line) so my question is how will this help provide more access to care for patients when they will be leaving calculus and bacteria in the sulcus (pocketing around the tooth), increasing the risk of a periodontal pocket around the tooth (inflammation or bone loss around the tooth, depending on the extent), or even a periodontal abscess. Patient injury is a concern of mine for the fact I spent two years learning and studying instruments. I was taught and tested on instruments on typodonts and then on human patients. So how do you think 120 hours of an assistant learning how to scale from a dentist who only spends about 6 weeks learning to scale themselves in dental school (which that is current criteria not criteria from 40+ years ago when some current dentist learned) is enough time for someone to learn correct instrumentation not to injury a patient? Or how will they even know enough to decide what instrument to use! And due to this, do you think there would be more malpractice lawsuits due to if they do preform subgingival scaling, injure a patient, or a patient develops severe periodontal disease due to the lack of subgingival scaling and periodontal charting (measurement of gum health). Plus, will an assistant have to state they are in fact an assistant and not an actual licensed hygienist performing their prophylaxis? Will they be told they can scale but not beneath the gum line? As a patient, I would want to know! Would you want to see and have a “cleaning” from someone that cannot even preform what you came to the appointment for but that is what you will receive. Are you afraid of insurance fraud? Don’t you think practices are going to take advantage of this situation and code out for a prophylaxis but that isn’t the procedure that is actually preformed. I believe you are setting Virginia’s dental access to care at even more risk because this situation is really going to make actual licensed Dental Hygienists question their career. I believe and I have heard from many other hygienists that this bill is very demeaning and will think long and hard about if this is what they will tolerate because their work has been demoted! I myself put a lot of hard work, long study hours, and a lot of money, which I am stilling paying off, in my schooling so I could have the career I always wanted. I think you will see more hygienist leave the field just like they did after coming back to the office after Covid due to the stress, changes, and burn out we endured. I hope this bill is thought on really hard because I believe this a a huge mistake! If this bill is passed I would assume in five to ten years there will be a huge increase of lack of patient care, lack of licensed hygienist, and lost of trust from patient and provider! I hope you listen to our considers that we have in protecting our careers and trying to protect our patients!

I am writing to STRONGLY OPPOSE HB1036 and HB970. Gum disease is directly related to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and even certain cancers. Gum disease happens when tarter forms UNDER the gums and causes an infection. HB970 would allow dental assistants with no educational background to remove tarter above the gums. Almost every single person has tarter below the gums when they come in for their dental hygiene appointments. What good is it to allow assistants to scale just above the gums? This does not prevent and treat disease! Dental hygienists are go through at least 2 years of rigorous training. They study anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, biology, chemistry, pathology, microbiology, nutrition, radiology, local anesthesia, and so much more. Dental hygienists are not just "teeth cleaners" but focus on the overall health of the patient and disease prevention. When there is disease, they are trained to treat the disease. Dental hygienists are trained to use special instruments to clean UNDER the gums to prevent and/or treat gum disease. IF this bill passes, there is no way to monitor the assistants during each appointment to make sure they are just scaling above the gums and not breaking the law and putting the patient's safety and well being at risk. I'm sure there will be many that will get too comfortable and attempt to scale below the gums, which can lead to serious damage and risks for the patient. There are many other solutions that the Virginia Dental Hygienists Association has come up with that does not put the safety and health of Virginians at risk. Please do not let foreign dentists come into this country and take the jobs of American trained dental hygienists. Who knows what type of training they have received and if it is even up to our standards. At the end of the day, this comes down to one thing...greed and money in the pockets of the people pushing for this. Please do the right thing and protect the citizens of Virginia and keep their best interests and health as your top priority.

I am a licensed dental hygienist and certified dental assistant in Virginia and I greatly opposed HB 970. Dental assistants in Virginia do not have to complete any certifications to become one, and while I attended a CODA certified program to obtain my CDA (which most dental assistants do not), I can say wholeheartedly I would have been a horrible hygienist if I was trained to perform “supragingival” scaling on the job. The fact of the matter is, there is no such thing as “supragingival scaling”. Every patient that I see in my chair, including children as young as 5, I have had to subgingival scale. I have seen the detrimental effects to patients periodontal status that have been treated by those that have not had proper hygiene training, including dentists (who only get minimal hygiene training in school) and those that have been overseas from prophylaxis that had not scaled subgingival and left behind calculus deposits that caused bone loss and tissue damage, or periodontal disease. I understand there is a shortage of hygienists in Virginia, but the patients will suffer greatly if this bill is passed. Periodontal disease is irreversible and has a plethora of health impacts including increased risk of heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancer (as the bacteria that live in our mouths contribute to these) as well as many other co-morbidities. If someone who is not even trained to understand basic infection control (as dental assistants in Virginia are not required to) how to complete a head and neck exam, or understand complex medical history, how will they know what bacteria causes periodontal disease, or the science behind what they are doing to a patient to educate the patient on their oral health? Given the absolutely devastating effects to the unknowing patients that this bill could cause, I please ask you to oppose this bill. Makenzie Green, RDH, CDA

I am a licensed dental hygienist in Virginia, and I respectfully oppose HB 970. HB 970 expands the role of preventive dental assistants to include supragingival scaling; however, this does not reflect the clinical reality of patient care. The majority of dental patients require subgingival (below-the-gumline) treatment to properly manage periodontal disease. Supragingival scaling alone addresses only part of the disease process and often results in incomplete care. Dental hygienists are specifically educated, licensed, and trained to assess periodontal conditions and provide comprehensive preventive treatment, including subgingival debridement. Expanding limited above-the-gumline services while maintaining restrictive practice models for hygienists does not improve access to care — it lowers the standard of care and delays appropriate treatment for patients. If the goal is to improve access and public health outcomes, legislation should focus on fully utilizing licensed dental hygienists within their education and scope, rather than expanding partial care through less extensively trained roles. For these reasons, I urge the committee to oppose HB 970. Ke’Annah Baldwin, RDH Glen Allen, VA

My name is Katherine Bigoney, RDH. As a trained hygienist who spent two years training to provide safe, appropriate clinical care, this bill would be of great detriment to the overall patient population. The intensive training we receive and board certification that is required to perform our duties is not something that could be quickly obtained on the job. HB970 should not be passed. Thank you for your time.

I am a licensed, practicing dental hygienist of 16 years and I oppose HB970. I display my bachelor’s degree with pride, and my license represents the education, clinical training, and national and written board examinations I successfully completed to earn it. Dental hygienists are college-educated, licensed healthcare professionals trained in prevention, early disease detection, and patient education. Allowing unlicensed or on-the-job trained individuals to perform dental hygiene procedures threatens to lower the standard of dental care in Virginia. This is not about titles, roles, or access to care—it is about patient safety, quality treatment, and protecting preventive care and allowing people that do not have the proper education will not help patients. Patients deserve more than "on-the-job training" when it comes to their oral and systemic health. Failure to properly clean below the gumline directly impacts periodontal health, alters disease progression, and causes real harm to patients. Prevention requires education, skill, and licensure—and anything less puts patients at risk. Beyond clinical concerns, HB970 introduces serious insurance, billing, and legal risks. Because “Preventative Dental Assistants” cannot perform a complete prophylaxis, clinics would be unable to bill use the proper CDT code. Instead, they must rely on the “unspecified preventive procedure” code, which requires narrative justification and is reimbursed at a significantly lower rate. This creates financial pressure that may lead to improper coding, misrepresentation of services, or billing for incomplete care or even, insurance fraud. If enacted, HB 970 would reduce professional standards, compromise patient safety, and expose Virginia dental practices to unnecessary legal and financial liability. The most effective and evidence‑based way to expand access to preventive oral healthcare is to support licensed dental hygienists practicing at the top of their scope and to invest in proven strategies that strengthen the existing dental workforce. The “Preventative Dental Assistant” model introduces risk without delivering meaningful benefit. As a dental hygienist in Virginia, I see firsthand how deeply this issue affects our profession and the patients we serve. I urge you to oppose HB 970 and ensure that Virginia continues to uphold policies that prioritize quality patient care, legal compliance, and professional standards. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Greetings Virginia House Subcommittee, I'm writing to oppose HB970 / SB178 and HB1036 / SB282. I'd like to request my letter be used as testimony. I'm a licensed hygienist, having had to pass three board examinations in order to practice; a national board, a state and a clinical board. My accredited program and its accrediting body, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), are necessary steps in ensuring safe patient care. Practicing as a dental hygienist is so intricate that I carry liability insurance because I could be sued in the event of negligence or malpractice. Dental hygienists are at the forefront of recognizing and treating periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is linked to preterm labor, heart attack, stroke, diabetes and Alzheimer's. "On the job" training is dentist dependent and doesn't replace the hours I spent in college courses on pharmacology, oral pathology, physiology, and so forth. The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) by the United States Office of Management and Budget has classified hygienists as Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, the same category as dentists. Can education and practice so significant be replaced? Virginia's population is placed at risk for greater health complications, both orally and systemically, when conditions are unrecognized and untreated. Employment shortages must be addressed through expansion of existing accredited programs; patient care should not be placed in jeopardy. I personally would not consider a move to a state authorizing "on the job" training, and Virginia might lose hygienists as a result of HB970 / SB178 and HB1036 / SB282 being approved. In my time as a dental hygienist, I've seen "on the job" trained assistants do unacceptable things, including actions that place their own health at risk, such as reaching bare handed into an ultrasonic cleaner to pull out dirty instruments. Have you seen the video of a dentist on a hoverboard while extracting teeth? Thankfully he was caught and charged. However, the unfortunate reality is that dentists are just people too that can make errors in judgement (and thus also training). Dentistry is hard physically on your body. My education also covered how to prevent long term musculoskeletal disorders. Who's going to be looking out for those that will need disability in a few years as they are practicing physically unsafe ergonomics? Medical assistants can not receive training through non-accredited means in order to fulfill Registered Nurses workforce shortages; the same should be true for Registered Dental Hygienists. I would never dream of having non-accredited training in order to make crowns or perform fillings on patients. Accrediting bodies ensure dentists provide safe care to their patients and the same should be said for patient hygiene care. My biggest fear for Virginia is for patients who do not know what is and is not safe and are relying on those in trusted healthcare positions. Please keep the oral health care of Virginia's citizens safe. Please oppose HB970 / SB178 and HB1036 / SB282. Respectfully, Sarah J French Linthicum, RDH 891 Station St. Herndon, Virginia

Hello! My name is Katarina Farmer, I am a registered dental hygienist based in Troutville, Virginia. I am writing to ask that you vote no on SB178/ HB970. As a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), I received two years of supervised preventative clinical training prior to being allowed to work with the public. Clinical and didactic training was supervised by another RDH, and consisted of extensive education in pathology, pharmacology, head and neck and oral anatomy, local anesthesia, nutrition, medical emergencies, working with all special needs considerations, and much more. I had to pass National, state, and clinical board examinations, and have to take a minimum of 15 continuing education hours per year to maintain my licensure. SB178’s training requirements are quite unclear and suggest the PDA would be supervised by a dentist, a member of the dental team NOT trained in preventative services, and often who doesn’t have time to provide one on one training hours. The bill suggests these assistants would be providing “coronal polishing and supragingival scaling”. These are not therapeutic services aimed at the prevention of disease. Coronal polishing is essentially brushing your teeth with a spin brush, it is a cosmetic procedure that aids in the removal of loose plaque, or food debris, and the removal of some stain. It has no therapeutic benefit and is not encouraged for all patients, nor for every tooth every time.  Supragingival scaling, or cleaning only above the gumline, fails to remove bacteria that lives UNDER gum tissue. This bacteria I’m referring to has been scientifically linked to Alzheimer’s, Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, Heart Attack, Infertility issues, and more. I’d also like to address that I’ve had extensive training on dealing with our population who have special needs and may experience medical emergencies in our chair. Will this new role you’re proposing receive the same in-depth training? Will they know what to do when their patient has a seizure in the chair? Will they know the certain tools and instruments they cannot use on a patient with a pacemaker? Will they educate the patients to the highest standards of care in tobacco cessation, oral hygiene education, proper methods of brushing and flossing, and be able to conduct an accurate oral cancer screening? Will patients even be made aware that their healthcare will be provided by an unlicensed person? Are you yourself, going to be comfortable letting your parents, siblings, spouses and children… receive this watered-down version of oral disease prevention? Especially those suffering from pre-existing medical conditions? This bill will allow unlicensed people with minimal education and understanding to use sharp tools and mechanical instruments that can gouge restorations, and cause irreversible tissue damage. I joined healthcare not for profit, but to benefit my community. I will always advocate for them to receive the highest standard of care. This bill is not a solution, it is lowering the standard of safe care and watering down critical healthcare roles. I am a preventative healthcare specialist, not a “tooth janitor”. I would love to be able to work with legislation and the VDA on suggestions to expand access to care in a safer manner while upholding education standards. I have emailed all delegates and senators, attempting to share this message best I can. Thank you for your time, most sincerely. Katarina Farmer, RDH

I am a Board Certified Periodontist specializing in Diagnosis & Treatment of gum disease and placement of Implants. I am a long standing VDA member. I have taught and lectured in 5 universities and have been a consultant to the Surgeon General for periodontal service, appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia as a consultant for periodontal service and a consultant for Delta Dental for periodontal claims. More recently along with managing my periodontal practice in NN, I was an Adjunct Faculty for 40 years in the Periodontal Department at VCU School of Dentistry. I have taught undergraduate dental students and graduate students obtaining a Master’s Degree in Periodontology. My concerns with House Bill 970 are as follows: • Dental students have more time spent in the areas of dentistry other than periodontics; whereas dental hygiene students spend their entire education in dental hygiene topics related to diagnosis, physical assessment, pathology, treatment modalities, and recare. • The Dental Hygiene curriculum includes significantly more clinical hours for hygiene services than dental school curriculum. • The skill level of graduating hygiene students is superior to that of dental students regarding prophylaxis and periodontal maintenance. Dental graduates are not provided courses in teaching methodologies. The idea of a dental hygienist shortage needs a better solution then the current proposal of House Bill 970 . ADA evidence reports it as a dental hygienists’ retention issue that warrants study of challenging employment factors. What I know from over my 50 years of practice, the turnover of staff has only been with the dental assistants; therefore, a more serious shortage exists with that group of dental personnel. Utilizing a dental assistant, including the DA I the front desk receptionist with no formal education and no Board of Dentistry regulation to attempt to take the place of a licensed dental hygienist should never be adopted. How would a dentist who is required to provide DIRECT supervision to the current DAII, now provide Indirect Supervision to a DA I for scraping tooth surfaces while treating his own patients? Ask a dentist: would they be happy with this service in their mouth. I’m not sure that they wouldn’t prefer a dental hygienist even over another general dentist to provide their maintenance care. I would not consent to this fragmented, substandard care. I have worked diligently along with my team of dental hygienists, to obtain a healthy periodontium of my clients and I would not want an “on the job trained” auxiliary to attempt to maintain these fragile, now healthy patients. Without competent care, these clients could once again breakdown. This could present significant moral and legal issues. What about coding insurance coverage with this type of incomplete treatment, what about malpractice issues: remember that DA I and DA IIs do not have a license controlled by the Board of Dentistry which ensures public protection. Who is asking to have “cleaning” by one of these “tooth scrapers”? I urge you to protect the citizens of Virginia and vote NAY and stop House Bill 970, as well as SB 178. If these bills pass and are enacted as law, at your next dental visit make certain you ask to see the license of the person cleaning your teeth before consenting to any services. Barry Lee Green, DMD, MS Yorktown, Virginia 23692 docbgreen@verizon.net 757-503-1516

This testimony provides further evidence-based context related to the impact that SB178/ HB970 Preventive Dental Assistants (PDAs) will impose on marginalized communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This bill will significantly impact all Virginians because it does not promote comprehensive preventive dental care, will not address patients’ access to dental services, and threatens patient safety. PDAs are not a solution to the workforce shortage or access to care concerns. This proposed bill will cause a disruption to preventive dental care, jeopardize patients’ trust towards dental hygienists, and increase the burden of oral disease among Virginians. This is particularly concerning for marginalized groups who have encountered decades of manipulation and mistreatment in the U.S. healthcare and dental care systems. Ethnic and racial minorities are more likely to experience discrimination at healthcare facilities, which leads to a distrust in healthcare professionals and negative impacts on health, including oral health. In a national study that used the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFFS) data, a survey of nationally representative U.S. adults, found that discrimination at healthcare facilities had the strongest association with tooth loss even after controlling for socioeconomic factors, health insurance status and dental services use [1]. Marginalized populations who already face barriers to accessing dental care should not receive substandard, inequitable care. In general, marginalized groups experience significantly more oral-systemic diseases such as periodontal (gums) disease and cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes; dental caries and tooth loss than their counterparts. Periodontal disease: In total, 42% of U.S. adults aged 30 years and over have some form of periodontitis (gum disease). The greatest race and ethnic groups impacted by gum disease are non-Hispanic black (56.6%), Hispanic (48.5%), multiracial groups (46.2%) compared to non-Hispanic white (37.0%). In terms of socioeconomic level, the greatest prevalence (60.4%) of periodontitis was among those who reported a <100% FPL. Lastly, among those who reported having diabetes, roughly 60% had periodontitis [2]. Similar disparities are observed for dental caries among adults. Roughly, 51% of U.S. adults aged 20-64 years had untreated dental caries [3]. The oral health disparities paired with barriers to access to care continue to persist among racial and ethnic minority individuals. Allowing unlicensed, minimally trained, individuals to provide incomplete care will be detrimental to the health of Virginians, especially racial and ethnic minorities that are already at an increased risk for adverse health outcomes. It would be unethical and a disservice to Virginians to allow this model of proposed care. There are more effective alternatives to increasing access to dental care that do not impose health and safety risks. Lastly, I respectfully urge you to consider the health and safety of yourself, family, and friends. All Virginians deserve equitable, safe, high-quality care from licensed oral health professionals.

I am have been dental healthcare professional for over 17 years. I have practice as a dental assistant and currently practicing as a dental hygienist. I want to express my concerns regarding HB 970 and HB 1036. HB 930 wants to create the role of preventative dental assistants. Most of the public doesn't know that dental assistants currently don't need any formal education to do their jobs, just on the job training. Dental assistants aren't required to taken any infection control, anatomy (dental or otherwise), medical emergency courses that would give them the knowledge to keep patients out of harm. The bill states these assistants would be supervised by dentist to verify their hours. Dentists while in school might receive at most a month worth of training in the skill of "cleaning" teeth. These course are taught by dental hygienists. Upon completion of this training, dentists are not required to prove their skills. Dental hygiene students train for 2 plus years to prefect their skills and the diagnosis of gum disease. HB1036 wants to just give a dental hygiene license to foreign dentists. I will refer back to my earlier statement about dental students in the USA only receiving at most a month of training supervised by dental hygienists. We do not know what these foreign dental schools curriculum looks like. This is putting the public at higher risk for malpractice and harm. Lastly as any healthcare professional we took an oath to prioritizing the needs of our patients and we are held to a high ethical standard. By devaluing and downgrading the dental hygiene profession and care of the public is a great disservice to our oath and our community.

Comments Document

Honorable Committee Members, I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 970. It would allow dental assistants with on the job training to perform tasks belonging in the scope of licensed dental hygienists under the proposed “Preventative Dental Assistant” model. This legislation is a significant step backward for oral healthcare in Virginia because it does not prioritize patient safety or the educational and clinical competencies required for safe, evidence‑based dental hygiene practice. These also bills do not address the gap in the dental workforce because it does not create any new qualified providers. Please read my attached letter. Sincerely, Mirtill "Mimi" Magyar, RDH

Comments Document

Honorable Committee Members, Please read my letters of opposition HB 970 below. Sincerely, Mirtill "Mimi" Magyar Registered Dental Hygienists (retired)

Approving this bill will take a detrimental impact on the communities most at need. Improper prophylactic procedures will mask disease and exacerbate risks to the public including increase in Medicaid costs in the end. These costs will seem lower at first until disease progresses into life threatening infections in the states most vulnerable populations resulting in increased costs in emergency room visits with infections, exacerbations of medical diseases like diabetes and heart disease. It is appalling that this bill would be proposed to solve a perceived shortage of qualified professionals that depend on dental hygienists to prevent disease and some spend 3,000 of education and residency hours practicing to prevent. This bill will allow on the job training of 129 hours which does not equate to a proper prevention model. The definition of prophylaxis or D1110 is "Removal of plaque, calculus, and stains from the tooth structures and implants in the permanent and transitional dentition. It is intended to control local irritational factors." which the current bill proposed does not serve. Vote no to protect the patrons of this beautiful state. I am a master level dental hygienist with specialty in community outreach, and public health in my county of Fairfax, VA.

Dental Hygienists are prevention specialists. We have training in microbiology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, histology, periodontology, pathology and public health outside of the physical training on how to scale teeth. This prepares us to evaluate and treatment plan our patients needs. To let an untrained assistant or a foreign trained dentist do any of this is substandard care. If the foreign trained dentist wants to do it let them pass the same written and hands on board tests hygienists have to complete prior to being licensed.

I am writing to ask you to oppose the passage of HB970. This is a health and safety issue that will affect thousands of dental patients in Virginia. I am a retired dental hygienist who worked for 50 years in both private dental offices and in public health with the Virginia Department of Health. What is being proposed by the Virginia Dental Association will have short and long-term effects on not only the dental health of our patients, but their general health when the prophylaxis does not include subgingival scaling, for which dental hygienists have extensive training, disease will occur. This includes not only tooth decay, especially an older adults, but also gum disease in children and adults, as well as the risk of impacting diabetes, heart disease, pulmonary conditions- the list goes on! Is this what we want for our Commonwealth citizens? Over my 50 years of practice, the Virginia Dental Association has not only impeded and limited the full scope of practice of dental hygienist, but now are actually threatening the health of our patients. Please do not allow this to happen. There are other ways to address the need for more hygienist and dental offices. P.S. If you do vote for this and this passes, then make sure the next time you go for your ‘cleaning/prophylaxis’ that YOU ask to see the license!

Letter provided in opposition to HB970 and HB1036

Please see attached file for: Re: Letter Opposing HB 1036

My name is Brenda Bradshaw. I am a licensed dental hygienist and associate professor of dental hygiene. I strongly oppose HB 1036 and SB 282, legislation that would allow internationally trained dentists to obtain licensure as dental hygienists in Virginia. These bills rely on workforce substitution models that are not supported by evidence showing improved access to care, patient safety, or better health outcomes in states that have already adopted similar policies. Florida provides a clear and cautionary example. In the 1990s, Florida began allowing internationally trained dentists to become licensed dental hygienists by meeting licensure requirements—such as examinations and credential review—without completing a dental hygiene education program. Between 2010 and 2012, there was a sharp increase in applications from foreign-trained dentists, which drew public attention and controversy. Today, Florida residents continue to raise concerns regarding education standards, supervision, and patient safety. Most importantly, workforce substitution has not solved access-to-care shortages. Despite aggressive policy changes, Florida currently ranks last in the nation for dental access. It has the lowest rate of children receiving dental visits, and 65 of its 67 counties remain federally designated dental health professional shortage areas—even after permitting foreign-trained dentists to practice as hygienists. In 2024 alone, emergency room visits for preventable dental conditions cost Florida nearly one billion dollars. Florida also ranks among the highest states for periodontal disease. Estimates based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data place Florida third in the nation for overall periodontitis prevalence and fifth for severe periodontitis among adults aged 30 to 79. Additionally, Florida ranks among the top five states nationally for medical malpractice payments, including dental-related claims, according to data from the National Practitioner Data Bank. This raises serious concerns about patient safety and oversight. Virginia should not replicate approaches that have failed to deliver measurable improvements in access, safety, or outcomes elsewhere. I respectfully urge you to oppose HB 1036 and SB 282. Thank you for your time and consideration.

The laws trying to allow assistants and foreign trained dentists to scale are concerning. I keep seeing statements that it will expand access to care. What kind of care is it? More people having access to substandard care is not care. I do not know of one dentist who will sit, watch, and supervise someone else cleaning teeth for 20 hours. They will not take time out of their production filled schedule to properly train an assistant if it could even be accomplished that quickly. Also, most dentists do not clean teeth very well by their own admission. Who will make sure the assistants only scale above the gum line and that it is a healthy patient? The people who have not had care due to access issues typically are not healthy anyway. Who will complete periodontal probing? Is it even possible to clean appropriately without being sub gingival? How are you going to track any of this? Just take people’s word that they are following the law? It’s concerning because patient safety and quality of care are at risk without any oversight of how this is going to be implemented in real offices.

I am writing to inform you that I OPPOSE HB1036 and HB970. As a dental professional, I know that if these bills are passed, we are putting the health of Virginia citizens at risk. Why would we consider something that is not in the best interest of our community? These bills would lower the standard of care in our state. One point I'd like to bring up is the assistants being allowed to scale above the gums only. This is an absolute waste of time. If someone is going to a dental hygiene appointment and only having their teeth scaled above the gums, you are not getting proper care. The entire point of going to a dental hygiene appointment with a LICENSED and EDUCATED dental hygienist is to have the tarter removed from below the gums to prevent an infection or treat an infection if one has already started. So we are going to allow patient's to get an above the gum cleaning only? And allow the tarter to just remain there under the gums? This is supervised neglect. The patient's that have these above the gum only cleaning are going to have major periodontal (gum) infections in the future. This is going to damage their overall health (because gum disease is associated with heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, cancer, etc.) and they are going to have to pay more money to get this treated when it could have been prevented in the first place. There is also absolutely no way dentists are going to be able to monitor and oversee what is really happening in these appointments. And allowing a dentist from another country to come to the United States and work as a hygienist is taking away jobs from American dental hygienists and also lowering the standard of care we expect. Training requirements and education for dentists in other countries varies. How do we know that they received the training and education that we have in America? Who is verifying this? These bills are backed by money hungry insurance companies and greed. Please protect Virginia!

Concerned citizens of Hampton Roads signed a peition to STRONGLY OPPOSE HB 970 AND HB 1036. The attachment is too large for attaching here, so please check your emails delegates as I will send them there as well. There are 1010 signatures we have been able to collect since starting on 1/21/26 and we will continue to collect and share as we get them. Thank you.

I am a licensed dental hygienist and certified dental assistant in Virginia and I oppose HB 1036. While I respect the dentists and their education, lowering the requirements that all practicing hygienists in the commonwealth have completed for varying education and one board exam would be detrimental to the patients. Any person practicing dental hygiene in the state of Virginia should complete a CODA certified program. There are many other ways around the shortage, such as license portability and reciprocity measures, expanding the scope of existing hygienists, increasing class sizes (and therefore faculty sizes), and funding for more dental hygiene schools. While good intentions are made with this bill, the patients of Virginia deserve better, please oppose. Makenzie Green, RDH, CDA

I OPPOSE HB970 and HB1036! These bills are not in the best interest of Virginians. Our health is at risk if we allow these nonsense bills to pass. Please protect the health of Virginians! Dentists do not want to deal with the possible risks associated with these bills.

I am writing to OPPOSE HB970 and HB1036. This bill is backed by corruption and greed. HB970 would essentially allow for supervised neglect in dental care. Dental assistants serve an important roll in dentistry, but they are required to have NO educational background. Dental hygienists spend at least 2 years studying their practice in disease prevention and disease treatment. Nail techs are required to do more hours of training than what this bill proposes for just anybody off the street to be using sharp instruments in your mouth. This makes no sense! Please protect the health and well being of the people of this state. Don't let Virginia fall below the standard of care when it comes to our oral health. Virginians deserve better! HB1036- If dentists want to come work in the United States as either dentists or dental hygienists, they need to go through the same education and training to make sure that we are receiving the standard of care that you would expect from your health care professionals!

I am writing to STRONGLY OPPOSE HB1036 and HB970. Gum disease is directly related to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and even certain cancers. Gum disease happens when tarter forms UNDER the gums and causes an infection. HB970 would allow dental assistants with no educational background to remove tarter above the gums. Almost every single person has tarter below the gums when they come in for their dental hygiene appointments. What good is it to allow assistants to scale just above the gums? This does not prevent and treat disease! Dental hygienists are go through at least 2 years of rigorous training. They study anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, biology, chemistry, pathology, microbiology, nutrition, radiology, local anesthesia, and so much more. Dental hygienists are not just "teeth cleaners" but focus on the overall health of the patient and disease prevention. When there is disease, they are trained to treat the disease. Dental hygienists are trained to use special instruments to clean UNDER the gums to prevent and/or treat gum disease. IF this bill passes, there is no way to monitor the assistants during each appointment to make sure they are just scaling above the gums and not breaking the law and putting the patient's safety and well being at risk. I'm sure there will be many that will get too comfortable and attempt to scale below the gums, which can lead to serious damage and risks for the patient. There are many other solutions that the Virginia Dental Hygienists Association has come up with that does not put the safety and health of Virginians at risk. Please do not let foreign dentists come into this country and take the jobs of American trained dental hygienists. Who knows what type of training they have received and if it is even up to our standards. At the end of the day, this comes down to one thing...greed and money in the pockets of the people pushing for this. Please do the right thing and protect the citizens of Virginia and keep their best interests and health as your top priority.

Greetings Virginia House Subcommittee, I'm writing to oppose HB970 / SB178 and HB1036 / SB282. I'd like to request my letter be used as testimony. I'm a licensed hygienist, having had to pass three board examinations in order to practice; a national board, a state and a clinical board. My accredited program and its accrediting body, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), are necessary steps in ensuring safe patient care. Practicing as a dental hygienist is so intricate that I carry liability insurance because I could be sued in the event of negligence or malpractice. Dental hygienists are at the forefront of recognizing and treating periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is linked to preterm labor, heart attack, stroke, diabetes and Alzheimer's. "On the job" training is dentist dependent and doesn't replace the hours I spent in college courses on pharmacology, oral pathology, physiology, and so forth. The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) by the United States Office of Management and Budget has classified hygienists as Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, the same category as dentists. Can education and practice so significant be replaced? Virginia's population is placed at risk for greater health complications, both orally and systemically, when conditions are unrecognized and untreated. Employment shortages must be addressed through expansion of existing accredited programs; patient care should not be placed in jeopardy. I personally would not consider a move to a state authorizing "on the job" training, and Virginia might lose hygienists as a result of HB970 / SB178 and HB1036 / SB282 being approved. In my time as a dental hygienist, I've seen "on the job" trained assistants do unacceptable things, including actions that place their own health at risk, such as reaching bare handed into an ultrasonic cleaner to pull out dirty instruments. Have you seen the video of a dentist on a hoverboard while extracting teeth? Thankfully he was caught and charged. However, the unfortunate reality is that dentists are just people too that can make errors in judgement (and thus also training). Dentistry is hard physically on your body. My education also covered how to prevent long term musculoskeletal disorders. Who's going to be looking out for those that will need disability in a few years as they are practicing physically unsafe ergonomics? Medical assistants can not receive training through non-accredited means in order to fulfill Registered Nurses workforce shortages; the same should be true for Registered Dental Hygienists. I would never dream of having non-accredited training in order to make crowns or perform fillings on patients. Accrediting bodies ensure dentists provide safe care to their patients and the same should be said for patient hygiene care. My biggest fear for Virginia is for patients who do not know what is and is not safe and are relying on those in trusted healthcare positions. Please keep the oral health care of Virginia's citizens safe. Please oppose HB970 / SB178 and HB1036 / SB282. Respectfully, Sarah J French Linthicum, RDH 891 Station St. Herndon, Virginia

I am have been dental healthcare professional for over 17 years. I have practice as a dental assistant and currently practicing as a dental hygienist. I want to express my concerns regarding HB 970 and HB 1036. HB 930 wants to create the role of preventative dental assistants. Most of the public doesn't know that dental assistants currently don't need any formal education to do their jobs, just on the job training. Dental assistants aren't required to taken any infection control, anatomy (dental or otherwise), medical emergency courses that would give them the knowledge to keep patients out of harm. The bill states these assistants would be supervised by dentist to verify their hours. Dentists while in school might receive at most a month worth of training in the skill of "cleaning" teeth. These course are taught by dental hygienists. Upon completion of this training, dentists are not required to prove their skills. Dental hygiene students train for 2 plus years to prefect their skills and the diagnosis of gum disease. HB1036 wants to just give a dental hygiene license to foreign dentists. I will refer back to my earlier statement about dental students in the USA only receiving at most a month of training supervised by dental hygienists. We do not know what these foreign dental schools curriculum looks like. This is putting the public at higher risk for malpractice and harm. Lastly as any healthcare professional we took an oath to prioritizing the needs of our patients and we are held to a high ethical standard. By devaluing and downgrading the dental hygiene profession and care of the public is a great disservice to our oath and our community.

Another graduate of our program from 2023, Fernanda Vasconcellos Rossi, was a former dentist from Brazil. She was also unable to be here today, but I would like to share the testimony she provided to me which also directly challenges the assumptions underlying HB 1036 / SB 282: “I am sharing my personal experience as an internationally trained dentist, which speaks directly to the importance of proper education and preparation in the dental hygiene profession. My name is Fernanda Vasconcellos Rossi, and I am a dentist originally trained in Brazil. After coming to the United States, I learned that in the state of Florida, internationally trained dentists may have the opportunity to become dental hygienists by completing the board examinations. At first, this pathway seemed like a faster option. However, I quickly realized that providing oral healthcare is a serious responsibility, and I did not feel it would be ethical to treat patients without being fully prepared for the specific scope and standards of dental hygiene practice in the United States. Because I take patient care very seriously, I made the decision to enroll in the Dental Hygiene Program at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia. Even though I already held a dental degree, the program showed me that dental hygiene is not simply an extension of dentistry—it is a specialized profession with its own depth, training, and clinical excellence. Through my education at ODU, I gained essential knowledge and hands-on experience in preventive care, instrumentation, periodontal therapy, radiology, patient management, and evidence-based practice. The program was fundamental to my professional formation and helped me develop the confidence and competence necessary to provide high-quality care. Today, because of the strong foundation I received at ODU, I have been able to advance professionally and currently have the honor of teaching at the University of Florida in the Periodontics Department. I truly believe that my success in this role is directly connected to the education and training I received through the dental hygiene program. I hope my testimony helps highlight that dental hygiene should be recognized as a serious and specialized career that requires proper education, preparation, and respect—especially for internationally trained dentists seeking to enter the profession. Thank you for your consideration of my testimony. Sincerely, Fernanda Vasconcellos Rossi, DDS, RDH” These summaries of these graduates' lived experiences as an internationally-trained dentists in dental hygiene school are telling to the specialization of dental hygiene that requires rigorous and specific education. This is evidence of the specialization that dental hygiene is as a profession, rather than just a subset or afterthought of dentistry. The educational standards and competencies in place are for the safety of the public and the health of our patients. Please also see the attachment regarding board examinations and this population. I urge you all to oppose HB 1036 and not let it get any further. Thank you for consideration of this testimony. Sincerely, Jessica Suedbeck, RDH, BSDH, MSDH, PhD(c)

Hello Chair Price and Committee Members, Hi, my name is Jessica Suedbeck and I am a licensed dental hygienist and associate professor in dental hygiene education here in Virginia. I am here today to strongly oppose HB 1036 (SB 282), legislation that would allow internationally trained dentists to obtain licensure as dental hygienists in Virginia without completing a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)–accredited dental hygiene education program or the required hands-on clinical training specific to the profession. In opposition to this bill, I would like to share the lived educational experience of a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program at Old Dominion University. Lily Salazar, Class of 2025, entered the United States already licensed and trained as a dentist in Peru. Despite her prior dental education and clinical experience, Lily chose to complete the full, CODA-accredited dental hygiene program at ODU in order to practice dental hygiene in the United States. Upon enrolling in the School of Dental Hygiene, Lily completed the same prerequisite coursework and the full two-year dental hygiene curriculum required of all students. Although ODU carefully evaluates prior education for transferability, none of her previous dental coursework was deemed equivalent to dental hygiene prerequisites or core curriculum courses. Throughout the program, Lily consistently shared how distinct and specialized dental hygiene education was from her prior dental training—particularly in the areas of periodontal disease, prevention, instrumentation, and patient-centered preventive care. With Lily’s permission, I am sharing testimony she provided for me as she could not be here today, which directly speaks to the assumptions underlying HB 1036 / SB 282: “I never imagined that being a dental hygienist in the United States would be such a challenging yet rewarding career. Although I am a dentist with a degree from another country [Peru], it did not lessen the intensity of the studies required for the dental hygiene profession. My ODU education provided me with a solid foundation in dental anatomy, dental materials, prevention, and other essential subjects. However, the scope of dental hygiene was entirely new to me. Learning about the various scaling and root planing instruments, as well as how to perform different treatments, presented a steep learning curve. I also had to adapt to the state-of-the-art digital radiographic equipment and understand the ALARA guidelines while performing radiographic exams. Additionally, I gained new insights into universal precautions, the connection between oral health and its role in preventing heart disease and other systemic conditions, and the latest staging and grading systems for periodontal disease—just a few of the many important aspects of this field. I hope that all international dentists come to recognize the importance of dental hygiene as a specialized profession that deserves to be taken very seriously. While my dental degree studies in Peru had periodontics condensed into just four months, dental hygiene is an entire career and should be viewed as a specialty within periodontics and treated as such. Thank you for consideration of my testimony, Lily Salazar Lily Salazar, DDS, RDH, BSDH Graduate Teaching Assistant” I will submit testimony from another graduate separately as there are not enough characters, but they go together. Thank you.

Comments Document

Honorable Committee Members, I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 1036, which would allow internationally trained dentists to obtain licensure as dental hygienists in Virginia without completing a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited dental hygiene education and required clinical hours and training. This measure does not address the gap in the dental workforce because it will not produce any new qualified providers and could drive some licensed hygienists out of the market. Please read my letters of opposition HB 1036 below. Sincerely, Mirtill "Mimi" Magyar Registered Dental Hygienists (retired)

Comments Document

Honorable Committee Members, Please read my letters of opposition HB 970 below. Sincerely, Mirtill "Mimi" Magyar Registered Dental Hygienists (retired)

Good morning, madame chair and members of the subcommittee. My name is Josh Lesko and I am an emergency physician in Tidewater Virginia speaking on behalf of the Medical Society of Virginia. As a physician, I've witnessed firsthand the hidden epidemic of workplace violence in our emergency departments. In the last two years alone, I've seen colleagues punched in the groin, strangled with a phone, and even beaten unconscious. We've had a patient commit suicide in our waiting room with a gun in front of the staff, and another was killed by police after striking an employee with a gun. I have seen security guards slammed into walls and tackled by angry patients, and technicians assaulted to the point that they required stitches. Each of these events happened at a different hospital where I have worked. Today, these incidents are not publicly reported. Without accurate data, the problem remains invisible. This bill would require public-facing reporting, giving lawmakers the information needed to protect healthcare workers and address the burnout driven by repeated exposure to violence. I spend every minute of my shifts trying to save patients’ lives. The last lives I should need to worry about are my own and those of my staff. It is for these reasons that I am requesting your support for HB1489.

I am attaching a letter of support for HB 1523 (Maguire), which would create a certification process for Violence Prevention Professionals in Virginia to help combat the public health epidemic of gun violence. In case there are any issues with the attachment, here is a brief summary: Virginia Already Has the Right Model: Virginia’s Community Health Worker (CHW) certification created core competencies and ethics, portable credentials and career pathways, a foundation for Medicaid reimbursement, and stronger hospital–community partnerships. Violence Prevention Professionals perform parallel functions—crisis response, care coordination, trauma-informed support, and systems navigation—without the same professional infrastructure. What HB 1523 Will Do • Establish training standards in mediation, trauma-informed care, ethics, and safety • Create a recognized credential for outreach workers and hospital responders • Enable Medicaid and state reimbursement similar to CHWs • Improve public safety and patient outcomes through accountability • Stabilize a workforce hospitals and localities already rely on Smart Safeguards (Modeled on CHW Success) • Accessible pathways with grandfathering for experienced workers • Training delivered by community organizations and higher education together • Standards that value lived experience while protecting the public • Local flexibility within a statewide quality framework Request: Please advance HB 1523, Delegate McGuire’s Violence Prevention Professional Certification bill. Virginia used CHW certification to improve health and equity—this bill applies that same approach to community safety. Healthy communities and safe communities are built the same way: by investing in the people who serve them.