Austin, Texas · two locations

Dentistry without the dread.

BrightSmile has looked after Austin families on South Lamar since 2019 — and we've just opened a second practice at Mueller. Same dentists, same unhurried appointments, now closer to more of you.

Book an appointment

  • Same dayemergency slots
  • Freefirst consultation
  • Most plansinsurance accepted
  • 2 locationsSouth Lamar & Mueller

In pain right now?

Toothache doesn't wait for a convenient appointment, so we keep slots free every single day for exactly this.

Call before 3pm and you'll be seen the same day — usually within a couple of hours. Both practices hold emergency slots that never go into the online diary.

South Lamar +1 512 555 0184 · Mueller +1 512 555 0197

If it's outside opening hours and you're in serious pain or have facial swelling, go to an emergency room rather than waiting for us to open. Swelling that reaches the eye or throat needs a hospital, not a dentist.

What we do

General family dentistry, done thoroughly. For anything we don't do in-house, we'll refer you to someone we'd send our own family to.

Every six months

Check-ups

Exam, clean and X-rays

A full look at teeth, gums and soft tissue, professional scale and polish, and digital X-rays when they're due. We'll show you what we're looking at on the screen rather than talking over your head.

Around 45 minutes. Free for your first visit.

When something's wrong

Fillings

Tooth-coloured restorations

Composite fillings matched to your tooth, so nobody can tell. We use topical numbing gel before the injection — it's the part people dread most, and it doesn't have to hurt.

Usually one visit, an hour or less.

Saving a tooth

Root canal

Endodontic treatment

Done under proper anaesthetic with a rubber dam, usually across one or two visits. Modern root canals are undramatic — most patients say it felt like a long filling.

Crown recommended afterwards to protect the tooth.

Rebuilding

Crowns & bridges

Porcelain restorations

For teeth too broken down for a filling. We take digital scans instead of the old putty impressions, fit a temporary the same day, and place the permanent crown about two weeks later.

Two visits, colour matched to your own teeth.

Cosmetic

Whitening

Take-home trays

Custom trays and professional gel to use at home over two weeks. We prefer this to a single in-chair session: gentler on sensitive teeth and the result lasts longer.

We'll tell you honestly if whitening won't help.

For children

Kids' visits

From their first tooth

Short, gentle appointments built around getting them comfortable in the chair. First visits are often just counting teeth and a ride up and down — no instruments at all.

Fluoride varnish and sealants when they're ready.

Your first visit, step by step

New-patient nerves usually come from not knowing what's about to happen. So here it is.

  1. Before

    Paperwork at home

    We email the medical history form when you book. Filling it in on your sofa beats scribbling on a clipboard while nervous.

  2. 0–10 min

    Just talking

    We sit down and ask what brought you in, what you've had done before, and what you're worried about. Nobody touches your teeth yet.

  3. 10–30 min

    The examination

    A look at every tooth, your gums, your bite and the soft tissue, including an oral cancer check. X-rays if you're due them.

  4. 30–45 min

    The plan

    We show you the photos and X-rays on screen and explain what we'd suggest, what can wait, and what it costs — in writing, before you agree to anything.

  5. After

    Your choice

    You leave with the plan and no pressure. Book the next step at reception or think it over at home.

The first consultation is free, and that includes the plan and the estimate. If you decide to go elsewhere afterwards, you owe us nothing — take the plan with you.

The people who'll be treating you

Principal dentist

Dr Elena Vasquez, DDS

Founded BrightSmile in 2019 after eight years in practice across Texas. Particular interest in treating anxious patients — if previous dentistry has gone badly for you, ask for her.

Speaks English and Spanish.

Associate dentist

Dr Marcus Bell, DMD

Joined to open the Mueller practice. Does most of our restorative work — crowns, bridges and root canals — and sees the majority of our emergency appointments.

Available at both locations.

Hygienist

Priya Raman, RDH

Runs the hygiene appointments and the gum health programme. Will show you what you're missing when you brush rather than just telling you to do better.

Ask her about interdental brushes — she has opinions.

Practice manager

Dana Whitfield

Handles insurance, payment plans and anything that has gone wrong. If you're unhappy about something, she's the person to ask for.

Usually the voice on the phone.

Both practices

Since 2019

South Lamar

2140 South Lamar Boulevard, Suite 210
Austin, TX 78704

+1 512 555 0184

Mon–Thu 8am–6pm · Fri 8am–4pm
Sat 9am–1pm (emergencies only) · Sun closed

Free parking behind the building, entrance on Bluebonnet.

New — opened this year

Mueller

1901 Simond Avenue, Suite 105
Austin, TX 78723

+1 512 555 0197

Mon–Fri 8am–6pm · Wed until 7pm
Sat 9am–2pm · Sun closed

Street level, step-free access, parking garage next door.

Your records move between practices automatically — book wherever suits you that week. Both use the same equipment and the same prices.

Patient reviews

This space is for our patients' own words. The Mueller practice has only just opened, and rather than reprint reviews from elsewhere or write something ourselves, we've left it empty until there is something genuine to put here. Ask at reception and we'll happily put you in touch with long-standing patients from South Lamar.

Questions we're asked every week

Do you take my insurance?

We're in-network with most major plans including Delta Dental, Cigna, Aetna, MetLife and Guardian. Call with your plan details and we'll check before you come in, rather than surprising you at the desk afterwards.

What if I don't have insurance?

We publish our self-pay prices and offer an in-house membership that covers two check-ups, two hygiene visits and X-rays for a flat annual fee. For larger treatment we can split payments over several months at no interest.

I'm genuinely frightened of the dentist. Can you help?

Yes, and you're in good company — it's one of the most common things patients tell us. Book a consultation with nothing done: we'll talk, you can sit in the chair without treatment, and we agree a stop signal before anything starts. Many of our patients came to us after years away.

How quickly can I be seen in an emergency?

Same day if you call before 3pm — both practices hold slots that never go into the online diary. If you call later, we'll see you first thing the next morning and advise you on managing the pain overnight.

Will you tell me the cost before treatment?

Always, in writing, before anything is booked. That includes what your insurance is expected to cover and what you'll pay yourself. If costs change mid-treatment — which is rare — we stop and ask first.

How often should I actually come in?

Every six months for most adults, more often if you have gum disease or a high decay risk, less often if your mouth is stable and you look after it well. We'll tell you honestly rather than defaulting everyone to the same interval.

Can I bring my children to my appointment?

Of course. There's space in both waiting rooms and reception will keep an eye if you're in the chair. It's often how children get comfortable with dentists — by seeing a parent do it first.

What if I've not been to a dentist in years?

Then you're exactly who the free consultation is for. No lectures — we look, we tell you where things stand, and we suggest a plan you can take at your own pace. Coming back after a long gap is the hard part, and you'd have already done it.

Book an appointment

Send this and we'll call back the same working day to fix a time. For emergencies, phoning is faster.

We'll call rather than email — it's quicker to find a slot.
Nervous patients: say so here and we'll allow extra time.

In pain today? Call +1 512 555 0184 (South Lamar) or +1 512 555 0197 (Mueller).