Dr. Ashandra Batiste, a pioneer in a tech-forward dental practice, discovered her passion for dentistry at the young age of 11. This aspiration was ignited by a childhood accident where she damaged her two front permanent teeth while exiting a pool.
The work done by her dentist not only repaired her smile but also reinstated her confidence, leaving a lasting impression on her career choices.
Batiste enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin in 1998 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in family sciences and human development. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as a dental assistant, working half days in the office three days a week.
She started attending Howard University College of Dentistry in 2003. Reflecting on her experience, she told AfroTech that the program demanded high standards, required rigorous training, and had no room for shortcuts.
It also fostered a sense of collective ownership among peers that she said can’t be replicated at a predominantly white institution.
A big part of Batiste’s approach to Elite Dental Wellness comes from the university’s standard of excellence. Elite Dental Wellness is a multi-million dollar Houston-based dental practice that Batiste runs with a team of Black women dentists, including Dr. Lindsey Sinclair Miller, Dr. Sarah Glenn, and Dr. Tamaara Willis.
Batiste said, “There’s still this disparity in healthcare where people are like, ‘I didn’t even know that you guys existed’ … That is insane to me that in the year 2026, people are still like, ‘Wow, there’s Black female dentists.’”
Elite Dental Wellness, according to its website, provides a wide range of dental services, including restorative, preventive, cosmetic, sedation, and emergency dentistry, as well as tooth extractions, oral surgery, dental implants, and orthodontics. The practice’s mission is to remove barriers to “stellar dental care,” including for patients who do not have traditional insurance or who choose not to use their existing coverage.
Elite Dental Wellness also relies heavily on technology, which influences almost every aspect of the patient experience. Among the tools used is the portable Nomad X-ray system, which can reduce radiation exposure, increase efficiency, and reduce waste when compared to traditional imaging systems.
For more advanced periodontal care, the practice employs the PerioLase MVP-7 to perform LANAP laser gum therapy, a minimally invasive treatment for severe gum disease that can replace traditional scalpel-and-stitch surgery. Willis, the office’s periodontist, is the only dentist who performs this procedure in the practice. She specializes in both dental implants and LANAP therapy.
“You have some periodontists who don’t use it … But then again, where’s the empathy at? How are you thinking about your patients,” Willis told the outlet. “You’re gonna take them through all that pain, you’re gonna take them through the sensitivity, you’re gonna take them through their teeth looking long like piano keys just because you can get the same result when it’s unnecessary?”
The practice also incorporates a Cone Beam Computed Tomography X-ray system, which provides 3D imaging that allows the team to evaluate bone width and height, assess tooth positioning, and identify potential pathology or trauma.
The practice also houses an in-office 3D printer for creating temporary crowns, mouth guards, and bleaching trays.
In addition, the iTero Lumina scanner captures a real-time digital view of a patient’s teeth and gums, enabling providers to see everything from tartar buildup to tooth alignment and gum health during the appointment.
“I use the iTero a lot. That’s my favorite gadget personally here in the office,” Miller, a graduate of Meharry Medical College, explained.
The scanner, which uses AI-powered technology to instantly simulate how teeth might look after Invisalign treatment, crowns, or veneers, is also crucial to treatment planning.
“AI is playing a role in dentistry these days. You have to keep up to be able to provide the type of quality care that the patient deserves,” Batiste noted.
