Dental Expenditures as a Middle Class Luxury

I, too, think the reopening of dentistry may be a bellwether for the reopening of much of America.  But, unlike the New York Times,  I don't see decreased consumer demand as only a study of higher unemployment producing lower numbers of individuals with dental coverage. 

Two thirds of all Medicare beneficiaries have no dental coverage.   AHRQ tells us (as of their 2010 survey): "[d"ental expenditures are distinguished from overall health care expenditures in the distribution by sources of payment. In 2010, a higher percentage of dental expenditures was paid out of pocket (47.5 percent for dental versus 14.2 percent overall) and a lower percentage was paid by Medicaid (5.8 percent versus 10.4 percent)."

Dental expenditures in the United States are a middle class luxury.  Let them be  a bellwether of that category of consumption.