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General dentist · Neartown - Montrose

River Oaks Dental Arts

2202 Waugh Dr, Houston, TX 77006

4.5+ stars in 100+ reviews Opening hours below
Call (713) 521-3131 Directions Website (riveroaksdentalarts.com, opens in a new tab)

Reviews

4.5+ stars in 100+ reviews

4–5 stars: 96% · 1–2 stars: 4% · 162 written reviews

Last 12 months: 19 reviews · 95% 4–5 stars · Replies: 38% of reviews · 5 of 6 one- and two-star

30mention friendly, welcoming staff

8mention explaining everything before doing it

7mention a clean office

Read what patients say (4 themes) ↓Write a review
  • Invisalign

Reviewers Mention Modern Equipment and One Early Visit

Doors open at 7:30 am on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, so treatment can come before the workday starts. Several reviewers mention modern technology and equipment, and several say treatment was clearly explained. Recent evidence is thin: 19 reviews in the past year, 18 of them four- or five-star.

Fact-checked · How we write these

Who you'll see

Dr. Palmira Testa, DDS

  • Texas license active, first licensed Sep 1994
  • Dental school: UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, 1994
  • Holds a nitrous oxide (laughing gas) permit (since 1994)

NPI 1578805206 · Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, checked Sep 2026 · named on the practice's website

How it compares in Houston

One- and two-star reviews
4%of 162 written reviews
A higher share than 51% of Houston practices
Middle Houston practice: 4%
Most common complaints
Charged more than they were told1
Insurance problems1
Prices felt too high1
Of its 3 one- and two-star reviews since Oct 2023 · Read them below
Replies to reviews
38%of written reviews get a reply (5 of 6 one- and two-star)
More replies than 52% of Houston practices
Middle Houston practice: 35%
Licensed in Texas since
1994its longest-licensed confirmed dentist
Licensed longer than 71% of Houston dentists we list
Middle Houston dentist: first licensed 2004

How we compare

What they can help with

  • Braces & Invisalign

    Federal Open Payments records link a confirmed dentist to the treatment's maker · 1 page on its website

  • Veneers & cosmetic

    9 pages on its website · Listed on its business profile · Listed category: Cosmetic dentist

  • Teeth whitening

    Listed on its business profile · 1 page on its website

Braces & Invisalign: how it works ShowFront teeth with braces, brackets joined by a wire, beside front teeth in a clear removable aligner tray.
Veneers & cosmetic: how it works ShowA front tooth with a veneer, a thin shell on the front surface only, beside a front tooth with a crown covering all of it above the gum.

Also listed on its website

What patients say

How the visit felt

8Explaining everything before doing it

Staff and office

30Friendly, welcoming staff
7A clean office
5Modern equipment

How we count themes

More financing options

Its website lists Cherry and AfterPay as possible third-party financing options, depending on each patient's situation.

Ways to pay

  • Payment plans (its website)
  • Accepts credit cards, debit cards, mobile pay and checks (its business profile)
  • Accepts CareCredit (its website)
  • Sunbit financing (its website)
  • Third-party lender financing (its website)

Insurance cost shifts appear in reviewer accounts

Several accounts describe a gap between expected and actual insurance costs, including out-of-network billing and a cleaning balance that was not fully covered.

Why they were unhappy

  • Charged more than they were told1
    1 in the last 12 months
  • Insurance problems1
    1 in the last 12 months
  • Prices felt too high1
    None in the last 12 months

How we read these

Equipment and memberships

Equipment and treatments on its website
Digital Impressions

Your review of River Oaks Dental Arts

No account needed · read by us before it goes up

Write a review

When you can go

Opens early
7:30 am, Monday and Wednesday and Thursday
15% of Houston practices open before 8 am
Open late
until 7 pm, Tuesday
34% of Houston practices stay open to 6 pm or later
Closed
Friday, and weekends

Hours from its listing. Check when you call.

Getting there

2202 Waugh Dr
Houston, TX 77006
Get directions
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance, parking and restroom
  • LGBTQ+ friendly
  • Free parking lot

Its business profile

In the practice's words

Its own business description

“At River Oaks Dental Arts, we believe a healthy mouth is essential to a healthy body — and that great dental care should feel personal, not rushed. Led by Dr. Palmira Testa and Dr. …”

Need another dentist?

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Ready to call?

Call (713) 521-3131 Other Houston dentists

Sources and dates

Business listing and reviews, Sep 2026 · riveroaksdentalarts.com, Sep 2026 · Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, Sep 2026 · NPI registry · City of Houston super neighborhoods

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