Dr. Sophia Okonkwo, DMD, MD, FACS

Dr. Sophia Okonkwo is the surgeon South Bay and Long Beach dentists call when they see a sore, a white or red patch, or a lump that doesn’t look right. She earned her DMD at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and her MD at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, completed her oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at Mayo Clinic, and then completed a fellowship in head and neck oncologic surgery at the University of Michigan. She joined Molly in 2009.

Most lesions she sees turn out to be benign. She still treats each one seriously: a careful exam, a biopsy when it is warranted, usually under local anesthesia, and a clear explanation of the pathology report when it comes back. When a result needs further care, she coordinates with head and neck oncology teams so that patients are not left to find the next step on their own. She also repairs facial fractures and performs complex extractions, including for patients with medical conditions that make surgery more involved.

Dr. Okonkwo is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She lectures to local dental study clubs on oral cancer screening. Patients describe her as warm and exact. She calls with biopsy results herself rather than leaving a message, and she tells people what she is looking for, what she found and what it means.