Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria.
Hi Maria , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always been drawn to creating something beautiful with my hands and finding creative solutions . From early on, I knew I wanted both: meaningful work and the independence of running my own business.
Growing up in Russia in the 1990s as a Jewish girl came with significant challenges. Opportunities were limited, and the environment was unstable. I was incredibly fortunate to be accepted into the Dental department of the medical school in St. Petersburg, Russia, where I received a strong foundation in general medicine. There, I learned how to understand the human body deeply and how to treat patients even without advanced instruments or medications—by observing, listening, and thinking critically.
After completing my first dental education, I was given an opportunity that changed my life: I was able to move to New York. I didn’t speak English well, but I knew with absolute certainty that I wanted to practice dentistry. I studied relentlessly, passed the dental boards with a 97% score, and was accepted into NYU College of Dentistry. It meant starting over—repeating my education through a completely different lens—but I embraced it fully.
In the U.S., dentistry was much more focused and technical. While my dental training in Russia taught me how to think diagnostically, dental school in USA taught me how to “think with my hands.” That combination became foundational to everything I do today.
After graduation and completion of a General Practice Residency, I began searching for my own professional path at the same time I was starting a family. I wanted children, but I also wanted to build something meaningful and independent. I quickly realized that while I needed experience in a new country and profession, the guidance I was receiving in traditional dental offices didn’t align with my values or vision.
Shortly after my son Matt was born, I began looking for a dental practice to purchase. When he was just five months old, I bought my first office in Clifton, New Jersey. It was a bold step, but one I felt deeply called to take.
As my family grew, so did my practice—and my desire to practice dentistry in a way that truly made a difference in people’s lives. I loved cosmetic dentistry, but I didn’t believe that aesthetics alone were enough. I wanted the results to be beautiful, functional, and durable—designed to last without causing harm over time.
That curiosity led me to explore multiple dental disciplines, including orthodontics, where I completed a residency program for practicing dentists. It was during this time that I discovered dental sleep medicine—and everything came together.
In this field, I found what I had been searching for all along: true collaboration with medicine, a comprehensive approach to health, and the ability to profoundly impact patients’ quality of life. I do not believe dentistry should exist in isolation. The mouth is not separate from the body, and oral health plays a critical role in overall wellness.
Dental sleep medicine allowed me to combine my medical background, technical dental skills, and entrepreneurial drive into one cohesive philosophy of care—one that treats the whole person, not just teeth.
More than ten years ago, I opened an office in Manhattan to provide better access to care for my patients who live and work in the city.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was never a smooth road—and I never expected it to be.
I was raised in a completely different system and arrived in the U.S. without cultural reference points, professional networks, or any real understanding of how things worked. Like many immigrants before me, I did whatever was necessary to survive. When I first came to New York, I cleaned houses to support myself while preparing for dental school and even while I was enrolled.
The hardest part, however, wasn’t the physical work—it was not understanding the systems. After completing my dental residency, finding my first job was challenging because I didn’t know how opportunities were accessed or how professional pathways were navigated in this country.
At the same time, I was becoming a mother and a business owner. I had no formal training in running a practice, no mentors, and no financial resources to invest in courses or consultants that could have made the process easier. Hiring and retaining the right team was difficult, and in many ways I had to reinvent the wheel simply because I didn’t yet know where to find the tools that already existed.
Another major challenge was building medical collaboration. Dentistry is often practiced in isolation, and it is still unusual for dentists to work closely with physicians. Finding medical collaborators took persistence, creativity, and resilience. I heard “no” many times—but I didn’t accept it as a final answer. Instead, I built and rebuilt systems within my practice to make interdisciplinary care possible.
I continue to add new directions to my work because science is never static. I apply the same principles I’ve used throughout my career—curiosity, adaptation, and persistence—each time I build a new chapter.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My practice is built around one core belief: oral health should never exist in isolation from the rest of the body.
At Harmony Dental Arts, we specialize in comprehensive, airway-centered dentistry with a strong focus on dental sleep medicine, breathing, and long-term oral-systemic health. While we provide high-level general and cosmetic dentistry, what truly defines our work is how we look beyond teeth to understand how breathing, sleep, jaw structure, muscle function, and systemic health are all interconnected.
I am particularly known for integrating dental sleep medicine into everyday dental care. Many patients come to us exhausted, struggling with snoring, sleep apnea, jaw pain, chronic inflammation, or dental breakdown that keeps recurring despite previous treatment. Instead of treating symptoms in isolation, we look for root causes, often related to airway obstruction, disordered breathing, or sleep disruption and build personalized, interdisciplinary treatment plans.
What sets our practice apart is collaboration. We work closely with physicians, sleep specialists, ENT doctors, orthodontists, physical therapists, and myofunctional therapists because I do not believe one specialty can solve complex health problems alone. Dentistry can and should play a central role in preventive and integrative healthcare, and our practice is designed around that philosophy.
Another defining feature of our work is longevity-focused dentistry. I care deeply about creating results that are not only beautiful, but functional and durable treatments that support health rather than compromise it over time. Aesthetic outcomes matter, but they must be biologically sound and sustainable.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of the trust we have built with our patients. Many have been with us for years, some for decades, and often refer their families because they feel truly heard and understood. Our brand stands for thoughtful care, scientific curiosity, and integrity—never rushing or oversimplifying, and never offering one-size-fits-all solutions.
I want readers to know that Harmony Dental Arts is not just a dental office—it is a place where people come to understand their health more deeply. Our goal is to help patients sleep better, breathe better, and live healthier lives, using dentistry as a gateway to whole-body wellness.
Education is also a central part of my brand. Beyond my clinical practice, I invest a great deal of time in public education through writing, social media, and long-form conversations. I use platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram to explain complex topics like sleep apnea, breathing, and oral–systemic health in a way that is accessible and empowering for patients and professionals alike.
I am currently working on a book “Breathless” and regularly share educational content on my channel ‘Sleep Apnea: Breathing, Snoring, Help” through interviews, podcasts, and online discussions. These platforms allow me to reach people who may not yet realize that their fatigue, dental issues, or chronic health concerns are connected to sleep and breathing. My goal is not to promote quick solutions, but to raise awareness, encourage curiosity, and help people ask better questions about their health.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned is to never lose curiosity. Curiosity keeps you open, learning, and moving forward, especially when the path is uncertain. It has guided every major decision in my life, from changing countries and careers to building a practice that does not follow conventional models.
I have also learned that difficult days are not permanent. There are moments when it is very hard to believe, but even after setbacks, disappointment, or exhaustion, things do get better. The sun does come out again, and perspective returns with time.
Another essential lesson has been to stay close to kind people. Skills, ambition, and intelligence matter, but kindness sustains you. The people you surround yourself with can both challenge and support you at the same time, and choosing the right circle makes an enormous difference. It often takes time to find your circle, and as you grow and change, your circle may change as well.
I have learned that every situation has two sides. What may feel like failure or loss in one moment often reveals itself later as a turning point or an opportunity. Many challenges that once felt overwhelming ultimately shaped the direction of my work and clarified my values. Time becomes the best magnifying glass for seeing both sides of any situation, although that clarity usually comes after the event.
Finally, I have learned the importance of movement. Sport, physical activity, and staying connected to the body are not luxuries but necessities. Movement clears the mind, builds resilience, and reminds us that progress is not only intellectual, but also physical and emotional.
The world is a deeply interesting place. I cannot stop being excited about travel, discovering other cultures, and absorbing new landscapes. As a child, I did not have the opportunity to travel abroad, and that sense of curiosity and hunger for exploration has stayed with me into adulthood.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://midtowndentalart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmariasokolina/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sleepapneahelp
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/notifications/?filter=all
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1MaSouc9kwQStYebZLLH1g
