When Tom Colina opened a dental practice in Winnipeg in 1993, he did not see himself as a trailblazer. Fresh out of training at the University of Manitoba’s dental school, he believed he was simply beginning his career.
But for the city’s Filipino-Canadian community, the moment carried deeper meaning. Colina had become the first Filipino dentist to open a practice in Winnipeg, a milestone that quickly made him a symbol of representation and possibility.
“The Filipino community was excited,” Colina recalled. “They came, and we were swamped with patients.”
More than three decades later, Colina’s career has grown into a story of leadership, service, and mentorship—one that has shaped both the dental profession and the broader conversation around oral health in Manitoba.
Colina immigrated to Canada from the Philippines at age 11, settling with his family in Brandon, Man. He later completed his undergraduate prerequisites at Brandon University before entering the University of Manitoba’s dental program. In 1989, he became the first Filipino graduate of the dental school.
At the time, Colina was enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces Dental Officer Training Program, which covered the cost of his education. After graduation, he served four years at the National Defence Headquarters dental clinic in Ottawa, where he worked alongside specialists who helped accelerate his professional development.
“Those four years were a tremendous time for learning,” he said. “It was beyond what a young dentist would normally experience.”
Following his military service, Colina returned to Winnipeg. Along with classmate David Chin, he purchased an established clinic on Ellice Avenue. Demand quickly outgrew the space, leading to the opening of a second clinic on Keewatin Street in 2004 and a third on Portage Avenue in 2018.
Today, Colina co-owns three Winnipeg clinics with three partners. His dental group includes 11 dentists and employs more than 50 staff members.
For Colina, growth was never just about expansion. He says larger dental organizations create opportunities for collaboration, mentoring, and shared learning.
“It means learning from each other and mentoring the associate dentists,” he said.
Mentorship has also defined Colina’s relationship with the Filipino-Canadian community. He has held leadership roles with the Knights of Rizal, an organization that provides scholarships to Manitoba high school students of Filipino heritage. Yet Colina remains modest about his influence.
“I’ve had patients who have gone on to become dentists and doctors,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m part of it—maybe? I was just being a dentist.”
One influence he does acknowledge is on his son, Nick Colina. The younger Colina, 26, graduated this spring from the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry at the University of Manitoba and has now joined his father’s practice.
“I’m really proud of him,” said Colina. “The program is tough.”
Nick says he was not pushed into dentistry, but exposure to his father’s work left a lasting impression. At age seven, he joined his father on a dental mission trip to the Philippines, where he helped comfort children receiving care.
“Those experiences opened my eyes to the broader role oral health plays in well-being,” Nick said. “They continue to inspire me to follow in my father’s footsteps.”
Humanitarian work remains central to Colina’s career. He has helped lead seven dental mission trips to countries including Zimbabwe, Peru, Guatemala, and Ecuador, providing care to underserved communities.
“Giving back is a core value I believe in,” he said. “I aim to make a difference in people’s lives.”
Colina’s commitment to dentistry also extends to education. For the past 22 years, he has served as a part-time clinical instructor and lecturer at his alma mater, mentoring future dentists.
“My favourite part of teaching is seeing that moment of realization,” he said. “You see it in their eyes—the lightbulb moment.”
He has also continued his own professional development. Around 2012, seeking deeper knowledge in pain management, Colina consulted former professor Dr. Stephen Ahing. Their discussion led him to pursue advanced training in orofacial pain and oral medicine.
In 2017, Colina completed a master of science degree in orofacial pain and oral medicine at the University of Southern California.
His leadership was further recognized in 2022–23, when he became the first Filipino to serve as elected president of the Manitoba Dental Association.
Outside the clinic, Colina has even taken the stage. He has performed four times in the All-Dentist Musical, a biennial charity event featuring Manitoba dentists. In a recent production of Chicago, his son served as his vocal coach.
Looking back, Colina traces his commitment to dentistry to a defining moment during dental school. In his third year, he participated in an orthodontic screening for an 11-year-old patient with cancer. Despite uncertainty about her progn
