VA SB178

Allows dental assistants (I and II) with at least 1,800 hours of clinical experience to obtain certification to perform supragingival scaling with hand and ultrasonic scalers and coronal polishing under indirect supervision of a licensed dentist

Requires certification training from a licensed dentist or dental hygienist using curriculum from a statewide dental association, a federal Indian Health Service program, active military duty program, or existing dental assistant education program

Mandates completion of at least 20 supervised full-mouth supragingival scaling procedures with patient consent before certification, with documentation maintained by the certifying dentist

Limits licensed dentists to indirectly supervising no more than two dental assistants at any given time while they perform supragingival scaling or coronal polishing

Exempts regulations promulgated by the Board of Dentistry under this act from the Administrative Process Act