Convenient Access from Rice Military
Tuesday and Wednesday appointments at Elevate Dentistry run until 7:00 PM, so Rice Military residents with full office days can still make a checkup. The drive takes about 6 minutes from the neighborhood to our Houston office on W 18th St. If you are new to the area and want a dentist near Rice Military, our four doctors cover routine cleanings, gum treatment, cosmetic work and dental emergencies.
From Nellie Keyes Park at 801 Lester St, take Rose Street to Lester and drive north to Washington Avenue. Turn left, go west for a couple of blocks, and turn right onto TC Jester Boulevard. TC Jester crosses I-10 and White Oak Bayou on its 2.5-mile run north; then a right on W 18th St ends at 1503 W 18th St, Houston, TX 77008. Door to door, the trip covers 2.9 miles, with no tolls and no time on the freeway.
The office is just east of Ella Blvd, at the corner of the map where Lazybrook, Timbergrove and Shady Acres touch, a little west of the Heights. Tap our Google Maps pin for live directions on your phone. On the way north you pass close to Cottage Grove, and TC Jester continues up toward Timbergrove just before you arrive.
A Practice That Keeps Pace with Rice Military Schedules
The neighborhood's name surprises newcomers. It does not refer to the university campus across town. It comes from Camp Logan, the World War I Army training camp later replaced by Memorial Park, and from the Rice family who once owned the land before the Bankers Trust Co. bought it.
Today Rice Military is bounded by Washington Avenue, Buffalo Bayou, Shepherd Drive and Westcott Street. Small bungalows and shotgun houses share blocks with two- and three-story townhomes and condominiums, and the Beer Can House on Malone Street, a home covered in flattened beer cans, is one of the area's quirkier sights. Artists moved in during the 1990s, and by the early 2000s young professionals were arriving for the restaurants, theaters and quick access to Memorial Park.
Like Cottage Grove to the north, Rice Military is part of the City's Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park Super Neighborhood 22, one of many inner-loop communities in Harris County. History survives here too: in 2022 the city designated the Brunner-Harmonium Historic District, a cluster of eight houses on and around Blossom Street built mostly between 1905 and 1915.
That crowd values efficiency. A dental office that is six minutes away, keeps evening hours twice a week and handles specialist gum care in-house saves Rice Military patients from juggling several offices and several days off.
Clenching, Snoring and Gum Health for Rice Military Professionals
Long workdays leave their mark on teeth. Clenching and grinding often show up as flattened edges, chipped fillings or sore jaw muscles in the morning, and many people never notice the habit until a dentist points out the wear. A custom guard worn at night protects enamel from that pressure.
Gum disease is the other quiet problem for busy adults. It rarely hurts in the early stages, so bleeding when you floss or a little recession is easy to ignore between skipped cleanings. Because Elevate Dentistry has a board-certified periodontist on staff, Rice Military patients can get a full gum evaluation without a separate referral.
Snoring is worth mentioning at a checkup as well. Loud snoring and daytime fatigue can point to obstructed breathing during sleep, and dentists can help with oral appliances once a sleep diagnosis is in place. Newcomers with no dental insurance and no gum disease can begin with a $49 new-patient cleaning, exam and x-ray.
Services Offered by Your Dentist Near Rice Military
Periodontal Disease Treatment
Gum care from routine deep cleanings to specialist treatment. Our periodontist also offers LANAP laser periodontal treatment for pockets that need more than a cleaning.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Oral appliance therapy for patients whose snoring or sleep apnea disrupts their nights.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Shade changes, veneers and reshaping for professionals who present to clients or spend time on camera.
Emergency Dentistry
A cracked molar or swelling cannot wait for next month. When a tooth breaks or an infection flares, our same-day emergency care is set up to get you seen.
Comprehensive Family Dentistry
Cleanings, exams and fillings for adults and kids. Rice Military children zoned to Memorial Elementary, Hogg Middle and Lamar High can share a visit with their parents.
Grinders should also look at our custom nightguards, which are shaped to your bite for comfort through the night.
Meet Your Houston Dental Team
Board-certified periodontist Dr. Thomas Nguyen holds a dental degree from UT Health San Antonio and went on to specialty training in Houston, finishing both a periodontics certificate and a master's at UTHealth. Dr. Thomas Nguyen's focus areas include LANAP laser gum treatment, the pinhole surgical technique, bone grafts and crown lengthening. General dentists and an oral surgeon practice in the same building, so a gum consult can follow a routine cleaning without a trip across town.
Insurance & Financing
We take many major PPO dental plans and offer help understanding your benefits. Cherry financing and in-office monthly plans break larger gum or cosmetic treatment into payments, and a special discount applies when you pay the whole balance at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Elevate Dentistry from Rice Military, and how do I get there?
Plan on about 6 minutes for the 2.9-mile drive from Nellie Keyes Park. Take Lester St to Washington Avenue, go west to TC Jester Boulevard, then head north over I-10 to W 18th St. For residents who want a dentist near Rice Military, it is a surface-street route with no tolls.
Do I need a periodontist, or can a general dentist treat my gums?
It depends on how far the gum disease has gone. Early gum inflammation often clears up with a thorough cleaning and better home care, which a general dentist handles. Deeper pockets, bone loss or recession usually call for a periodontist. Here, both work in one office, so moving to specialist care takes a hallway, not a referral.
What damage can nighttime clenching do to my teeth?
Quite a lot over time. Steady clenching flattens chewing surfaces, chips enamel at the edges and can crack fillings, crowns or even healthy teeth. It also strains the jaw muscles, which many people feel as morning soreness. A custom nightguard absorbs the force so the guard wears down instead of your teeth.
Is snoring something I should mention at a dental checkup?
Yes, because snoring can signal blocked breathing at night. Dentists can make oral appliances that hold the lower jaw slightly forward while you sleep, which helps keep the airway open. This works best alongside a proper sleep evaluation from a physician. Our team can talk through whether an appliance is a sensible step for you and how it fits with your other treatment.
How much is the Adult Wellness Plan, and what does it cover?
The Adult Wellness Plan costs $299 a year for patients 18 and older without dental insurance. Each year you get a pair of cleanings and exams, x-rays twice, fluoride twice, a CBCT scan and an emergency visit with imaging, and non-cosmetic treatment is 20% off. Coverage starts right away, with nothing like a deductible or annual cap to track.
Schedule Your Visit from Rice Military
Early and evening slots are both on the calendar. Dial 281-824-7589 to reserve time with a dentist near Rice Military, morning or night. Our full neighborhood directory shows every community we serve, and the Dentist Houston, TX homepage introduces the practice.