Americans Cut Back On Dental Care

When they believe non-dentists aren't listening, Dentists often blame low-income Americans for their poor dental health, mentioning that they probably have big-screen TV's, smoke and drink copiously .

But it's middle America who is going without all those things as well as the trip to the dentist.

Jeff Lucas and his wife live in a nice house in Jupiter, Fla., just one mile from the beach. He works from home, arranging financing for business owners. His wife, a nurse, works for a state health agency. They make good money, but they've got college bills for three kids and other rising costs. So they've cut back. They eat out less. They don't go so far away on vacation. They do their own housecleaning and yardwork now.

And Lucas, who's 49, says he's also cut back on medical care and has been putting off dental work because the total isn't covered by his insurance.