In a field where fewer than 0.1% of practitioners are Black women, Dr. Sharon Russell is not just defying odds\u2014she\u2019s setting new standards. A board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, founder, and CEO of the Maryland Oral Surgery Group \/ the \/The Maryland Oral Surgery Group and Implant Center, Dr. Russell\u2019s remarkable journey is rooted in resilience, unwavering strength and a faith based purpose .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From growing up in a low-income neighborhood in Dorchester, Massachusetts, to leading two top-tier surgical practices, Dr. Russell\u2019s life is the embodiment of grit and grace. The youngest and only girl of five siblings, she lost two brothers to drug overdoses. But tragedy didn\u2019t define her\u2014it refined her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m a first-generation physician. I wasn\u2019t supposed to make it this far, but I\u2019ve always believed that mindset is everything,\u201d says Dr. Russell, who is affectionately known as @drsharonrussell on Instagram. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about having talent\u2014it\u2019s about having the mindset to persevere when the odds are against you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her resume is as impressive as her story. Dr. Russell holds two bachelor’s degrees in biology and nursing\u2014graduating cum laude in both. She was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of nursing, and went on to work for over 15 years at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world. Her roles spanned vascular surgery, cardiology, hospice care, and research under the guidance of the esteemed Dr. Patricia Fraser at Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her entry into oral surgery came from an encounter with a child born with cleft lip and palate\u2014a condition she encountered during her nursing career. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what specialty handled that kind of case, but once I discovered it was oral and maxillofacial surgery, I was all in,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was a challenge, and I love challenges. Plus, the financial opportunity was real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2012, Dr. Russell opened the first Maryland Oral Surgery Group location. In 2023, she expanded with a second facility in Bowie, Maryland. Her clinics specialize in smile makeovers using dental implants for missing teeth or complete smile makeovers for fixed hybrid cases, wisdom tooth removal, hard and soft tissue biopsies, sinus augmentation,bone grafting,anesthesia and orofacial trauma \/ reconstructive surgeries\u2014all delivered with world-class precision and patient care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While most people would be satisfied with that level of success, Dr. Russell is far from done. This year, she\u2019s launching a new line of medical scrubs designed for healthcare professionals who want function and<\/em> flair. \u201cAfter 40 years in scrubs, I think I know a thing or two about what we really need,\u201d she jokes. She\u2019s also starting a healthcare-focused AI company and laying the groundwork for a mentorship foundation aimed at guiding the next generation of oral surgeons\u2014especially young women of color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a mother of six\u2014including an Olympic gold medalist and American Record holder daughter, a first-generation attorney, two Division 1 athletes, and a rising high school sports phenom\u2014Dr. Russell takes pride in the legacy she\u2019s building at home and in business. \u201cMy family is my anchor. They\u2019re the reason I push as hard as I do. Legacy is not just about what you build\u2014it\u2019s about who you build it with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked about the challenges of running a business, Dr. Russell is candid: \u201cThe hardest part isn\u2019t the surgery\u2014it\u2019s finding people who believe in your vision and bring excellence to the table every day. You can teach skill, but you can\u2019t teach heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: \u201cKnow your industry inside and out. Understand the legal, financial, and tax frameworks that support your growth. And most importantly\u2014have a roadmap for execution. Dreams without a plan are just wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To Dr. Russell, success is deeply personal. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about wealth\u2014it\u2019s about self-mastery. It\u2019s when your mind, your mission, and your money are aligned. I don\u2019t believe in competition because I believe in myself so deeply. I\u2019ve already won before I even start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She believes financial freedom is about leverage\u2014using your intellect, experience, and systems to generate wealth without burning out. \u201cI want to build businesses that run while I sleep. That\u2019s true freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As she continues to break barriers and elevate lives, Dr. Sharon Russell is not just performing surgery\u2014she\u2019s performing legacy work. She\u2019s living proof that faith, focus, and fierce determination can take you from overlooked to unstoppable.To learn more about Dr. Russell\u2019s work, visit www.theMOSG.com<\/a> and follow her on Instagram @drsharonrussell.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a field where fewer than 0.1% of practitioners are Black women, Dr. Sharon Russell is not just defying odds\u2014she\u2019s setting new standards. A board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, founder, and CEO of the Maryland Oral Surgery Group \/ the \/The Maryland Oral Surgery Group and Implant Center, Dr. Russell\u2019s remarkable journey is rooted in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9018,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[222],"tags":[196,3894,3302,3895,3350,3893,3195],"class_list":["post-9017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-business","tag-dr-sharon-russell","tag-excellence","tag-maxillofacial","tag-medicine","tag-oral","tag-surgeon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9017"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9019,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9017\/revisions\/9019"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miaminewsnetwork.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}