Bayside Spotlight: Dr. Sofya Kats

Dentist Dr. Sofya Kats grew up in Bayside after immigrating from Kazakhstan

Dr. Sofya Kats has a remarkable journey that began with her family's immigration to Milwaukee from Kazakhstan. Growing up in Bayside, she built lifelong memories in the area—hiking at Doctors Park, enjoying the Bayside pool, and thriving at Maple Dale and Nicolet High School.

She attended dental school at Marquette University and became a partner at Riverwalk Dentistry. Beyond her successful practice, Dr. Kats has dedicated herself to volunteer work, from local initiatives like Wisconsin’s Mission of Mercy to international efforts with Operation Smile.

In this Q&A, she shares her journey—from childhood in the North Shore to her upcoming mission in Vietnam—and offers insight into the impact of community, education, and service. Read on to learn how she gives back and how you can support her service.

As someone who grew up in Bayside and attended Nicolet High School, what are some of your favorite memories of the North Shore area? 

Having grown up in two countries, I have memories from both childhood experiences. My family are refugee Jewish Russian immigrants from Kazakhstan. We immigrated in 1991 and have been living since then in Milwaukee.  My parents were fortunate enough and worked diligently with saving to be able to move our family to Bayside only a few years after our move from Kazakhstan. 

In our former life, I grew up in a house with a large yard and a garden and small orchard.  Moving to Milwaukee was a small shock, with all the buildings, lit up businesses and now living in an apartment with no yard.  The whole family was very excited to move to Bayside not only for the quiet neighborhood, larger yard but also having heard the school district was superb, education and success in studies being extremely important to our family. 

My sisters and I spent many days enjoying sunbathing in the old Bayside pool and the JCC. We spent many days hiking the trails of Doctors Park, with the easy walking and biking distance of most things we enjoy. It was easy to focus on schoolwork with the calm and quiet neighborhood surroundings. 

Many friends and fellow immigrants also surrounded us, the word spread about how lovely it is to live in Bayside and many families followed us to the neighborhood.  Many of these families still reside in Bayside and some of the children, such as myself have moved back for all the reasons I already mentioned.  

How did growing up here shape your career path? 

Growing up in the North Shore had a massive advantage for my educational path. Maple Dale and Nicolet High school have so many opportunities for students who are committed to success. I always felt supported and encouraged to pursue higher education and AP classes.

The ability to complete college-level coursework in high school was a significant advantage, not only in saving on university tuition but also in reducing the time required to earn a degree at UW-Milwaukee. I am encouraging my own children to take advantage of the same path, and they are also receiving strong support from the staff at Maple Dale and Indian Hill.

After completing your dental education at Marquette University and your residency in New York, what brought you back to Milwaukee to establish your practice?

After earning my DDS degree from Marquette University School of Dentistry, I chose to move to the East Coast to expand my skills through a General Practice Residency (GPR) at NY Methodist Hospital in Park Slope. I also wanted to experience life outside of Milwaukee. However, my intention was always to return home to live and work, and my time in Brooklyn only reinforced that decision.

Life on the East Coast was exciting and full of adventure, but I found myself longing for a home and a yard in the Midwest. I knew Milwaukee’s dental community would welcome me back, as it is one of the most supportive professional networks I have ever experienced. My former mentor, Dr. Ronald Stifter, had just transferred his portion of Riverwalk Dentistry to Dr. Angela Lueck and recommended me for a position at the practice in downtown Milwaukee.

Sixteen years ago, I started as an associate at Riverwalk Dentistry, and today, I am a partner alongside Dr. Lueck in one of the oldest and most well-respected dental practices in Milwaukee. My journey to success is a testament to Milwaukee’s close-knit “Smallwaukee” community.

You've built a successful dental practice in Milwaukee while also prioritizing volunteer work. What inspired you to become involved with Operation Smile specifically?

Volunteering has always been a passion of mine since I was a teenager.  My sisters and I have volunteered for the Schlitz Audubon Center, Milwaukee Humane Society and the Hunger Task Force as teenagers.  As I acquired more specialized skills, while still in dental school, I traveled to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica with a Marquette-sponsored mission trips to treat dental disease and educate others on oral health.  

In my residency I traveled to Israel to work for two weeks in a pediatric clinic in Jerusalem with Dental Volunteers for Israel, a trip I hope to repeat with my family in the next few years.  I returned to the Dominican Republic a few years later to supervise Marquette dental students as one of the supporting doctors on the mission trip. 

Tell us more about your upcoming mission to Hue, Vietnam with Mommy Dentists in Business. What types of dental care will you be providing?

We will be traveling to Hue, Vietnam, in mid-April. We will be working with children of all ages to help with hygiene and oral education, treatment of dental caries (cavities) and emergency care. A part of our team will be assisting with the surgical cases and management of cleft lip and palate repair.  We will spend one full week treating as many children as we can to help alleviate the burden of childhood caries, a disease if left untreated can lead to severe illness or death. 

It has been organized by the well-known and respected charity “Operation Smile.” I’m a member of the Mommy Dentists in Business and the regional leader for the Wisconsin chapter, and our organization has been fundraising support for Operation Smile for many years. 

The opportunity was created by the founder of MDIBs, Dr. Grace Yum Zimmerman, a pediatric dentist and an Illinois native, to take part in the first dental, women-dentist-only mission trip to work alongside the important cleft and lip palate corrective surgical work of Operation Smile. 

I could not pass up the opportunity to support the efforts of Operation Smile and to travel with my fellow mommy dentists to help underserved communities. 

Mission of Mercy provides free dental care to residents of Wisconsin communities

In addition to international missions, you also volunteer locally. Could you share more about your involvement with Wisconsin's Mission of Mercy and what those experiences have been like?

Most recently, my partner Dr. Lueck and myself and our entire practice have been volunteering with the Mission of Mercy, a bi-annual program which helps provide free dental care to residents of Wisconsin communities. This year we will be in Wausau and the WDA (Wisconsin Dental Association) is helping organize the event, two full days of dental care to all who need it. 

For families reading this who may be interested in supporting this cause, what would you want them to know about the impact of Operation Smile's work?

For those who would like contribute financially to support my volunteer opportunity, can use the link for my GoFundMe.  This funding will help cover the cost of travel, lodging and supplies.  

Do you have advice for other professionals looking to incorporate meaningful volunteer work?

My advice for professionals who would like to volunteer is just do it. Take the leap and go on the adventure, locally or abroad. Your skills are appreciated and highly valued. There are many people who do not have access to what we have access to, we can make a huge impact in someone’s life.  One smile at a time.  

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