Kilcona Dental Centre

Kilcona Dental Centre has been serving Winnipeg families since 1998, and since 2021, Dr. Debola Sonoiki has been at the helm as owner and principal dentist. With nineteen years of clinical experience and dental degrees from two countries, Dr. Sonoiki leads a team that treats patients from babies to seniors, all under one roof.

A Path From Lagos to Winnipeg

Dr. Sonoiki earned her first dental degree, a Bachelor of Dental Surgery, from the University of Lagos in 2007. She and her husband moved to Canada through a federal program for highly skilled professionals.

She applied to dental schools across Canada, accepted her offer from the University of Manitoba, and the family settled in Winnipeg. She graduated from the Gerald Niznick Faculty of Dentistry with her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) in 2016.

From Locum Dentist to Practice Owner

Dr. Sonoiki's connection to Kilcona Dental Centre goes back further than her ownership. Before moving to Brandon for four years after dental school, she had worked at Kilcona as a locum dentist. When her family decided to return to Winnipeg, she reached out to the previous owner.

"At that time, he was ready to retire," she says. "And that's how I ended up purchasing the practice." She bought it in 2021. Owning her own practice had always been the long-term plan. "Yes, it's always something I wanted to do," she says. "I've now been a dentist for 19 years, so I've got a lot of dentistry under my belt."

The Core Values the Team Opens the Day With

Dr. Sonoiki points to a clear set of core values that guide the practice. Every morning, the team opens the day by going over those values together. The ones she names are kindness, honesty, integrity, and education.

"We believe people should have the information they need to be able to make informed and intelligent decisions, so we give a lot of education," she explains. The standard she sets for her team on patient care is plain: "You treat people the way you'd treat your parents or your sibling or your best friend."

That ethos shows up in patient feedback. Katie, a long-time patient, wrote that the clinic is "always so welcoming and friendly," noting that there has "never been any judgement, just encouragement and understanding." Bernadette, who came in for a difficult and time-intensive procedure, described Dr. Sonoiki as "patient and understanding."

The Dentist Next Door for the Whole Family

Dr. Sonoiki describes Kilcona Dental Centre as "a family dental clinic" that cares for everyone from babies to older adults. She also calls the clinic "the dentist next door" — a general dental practice that acts as a hub for ongoing care, with referrals to specialists when something specific is needed.

The team is set up to move quickly when something urgent comes up — Barb, a recent new patient, mentioned being seen quickly for a chipped tooth and having the procedure clearly explained at every step.

Modern Imaging, Invisalign, and a Microscope for Root Canals

Over the past five years, Dr. Sonoiki has invested heavily in the clinic's technology. The practice operates a CBCT scanner for 3D imaging used in implant placement and root canal procedures, an iTero 3D scanner that produces full-mouth digital models, in-office Zoom whitening, and digital radiography that uses lower radiation than traditional film X-rays. There is also a microscope used during root canal treatments.

Invisalign Gold Tier and a Focus on Aligners

In 2025, Dr. Sonoiki took extensive training in aligner therapy and the practice reached Invisalign Gold Tier status. She points to aligners as an area she's continuing to invest in heading into 2026.

Mentorship, Volunteering, and Life Outside the Clinic

Outside the practice, Dr. Sonoiki mentors dental students at the University of Manitoba through the Manitoba Dental Association and is active with the Christian Dental Students Association. She also volunteers on the board of her kids' school. Closer to home, she is married with two children, and her hobbies include reading, she is a theatre enthusiast, traveling to experience different cultures, swimming, and cycling.

What Patients Take Away From a Visit

The reviews on Google — 4.9 stars across more than 250 patients — tend to repeat the same handful of themes: a non-judgmental approach, friendly front-desk staff, gentle hygienists, and a calm, comfortable environment with TVs in every room and a complimentary coffee station in the waiting area. Katie, who specifically credited hygienist Raman as "extra knowledgeable, kind and gentle," summed up her experience this way: "I am so thankful for the team here and have come to love going to the dentist."