For all that much of the news about medical travel and tourism has to do with uninsured or underinsured patients needing major surgery — much of medical tourism is about somewhat less lifesaving care.

And by that, I mean dental treatment. According to a recent report from CBS News, part of its “Other America” series, more than one hundred million Americans do not have dental insurance. The lack of coverage is leading to problems such as school absence, unemployment and even death.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans go abroad for dental work where they can save from 50 to 90 percent on major work including dental implants, crowns, veneers and full mouth reconstruction. BridgeHealth International works with dentists, oral surgeons and implantologists in several countries to get otherwise unaffordable care for clients.

(Video direct from CBS News; There’s a short advertising lead-in.)