Dr. Russell R. Hilliard, DDS

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Get to know Dentist Dr. Russell R. Hilliard, who serves patients in Houston, Texas.

A top professional in comprehensive and esthetic dentistry, Dr. Hilliard works alongside Dr. Rodney K. Rayburn at Legacy Dental Group in Houston, Texas. He is passionate about serving others and providing the ultimate in excellent dental care.

“I love my life in dentistry because it allows me to help others. I get great satisfaction from the challenges of the field and have a passion to help those who are fearful of the dentist to become comfortable in our office. I am committed to providing personalized care by starting from your needs and applying the latest techniques to get the result you’re looking for. The most rewarding patient relationships for me are those where the patient is so inspired by the transformative dental care they receive in our office that they become a kind of missionary for excellent dental health” he stated. 

An advocate for long-term health in patients, Dr. Hilliard feels that improved dental care and patient education are key to this. He is not into lecturing with any “you must” instructions. Rather, he believes in explaining what is important and why. Nothing is more rewarding to him than seeing a patient’s expression brighten up as he or she smiles and sees beautiful teeth in the mirror.

Throughout his career, dentistry has evolved from treating individual teeth to treating the whole person. Many systemic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and numerous other conditions have possible links to dental health. His goal is to help patients attain not only the smile they desire, but also a healthy lifestyle.

Having always had an interest in the sciences, Dr. Hilliard realized that he could use this to serve others in the field of healthcare. He graduated from Texas Tech University with his undergraduate degree in chemistry and continued on to receive his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston.

Through postgraduate courses, he has continued to broaden his knowledge and sharpen his skills. He has taken part in numerous continuing education courses, focusing on those that would help him improve the care he provides through functional and aesthetic dentistry, as well as those concentrated on treating jaw problems, facial pain, and headaches in relation to oral health. 

With the numerous technological developments and new skills to be mastered, Dr. Hilliard has found it worthwhile to take up involvement with numerous professional organizations. He is constantly seeking new information through lectures, reading, and study. It is great when he can apply new developments and findings to improve patient treatments.

In addition to being a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, he is a member of the American Dental Association, the Greater Houston Dental Society, and the American Academy of Operative Dentistry.

Dentistry, also known as Dental and Oral Medicine, is a branch of medicine that consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the oral cavity. Dentists diagnose and treat dental issues and help patients develop better oral hygiene regimens. They clean teeth, correct bite issues, perform surgeries and extractions, and perform other duties to ensure that the teeth and mouth are healthy. 

A native Houston resident, Dr. Hilliard has spent his entire life there except for the four years he spent at Texas Tech. His family moved here in 1960 when much of the Westbury area was under construction. He and his wife were lucky to have fallen for each other while in Junior High School. Though married since 1973, they still celebrate their “Going Steady” anniversary too. They are proud of their only son, now an adult, and are active in many church activities. Dr. Hilliard has also served as a board member of the Central Texas Leadership Training for Christ for many years.

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