The Dental
Family for
Your Family

After 5 years down at Otago University Dental School captaining rugby for Otago and the South Island and Playing for NZ all Blacks in 1962, Keith married Aldyth (a senior dental school Orthodontic nurse and Otago Beauty Queen) and graduated with a dental degree.

After a short stint practising dentistry in Balclutha, Keith Nelson headed back home to Auckland with his new wife. Here Keith continued his career out in the wild west of Auckland, now captaining rugby in Ponsonby, Auckland and the North Island.

Opening his own practice Keith Nelson and Associates in 1965, the strong family ties to the dental profession meant the practise was based around family dentistry with a strong emphasis on orthodontics and early care. This continues to this day.

Vikki is the middle daughter of the 3 Nelson girls. After studying economics at Otago, she then went on to complete her dental training at Otago university and graduated in 1992.

Originally Vikki started working at West Auckland in Glen Eden where Keith Nelson started the practice in 1964. Here she gained a vast amount of experience with oral surgery under general anaesthetic & where she became extremely interested in the cosmetic side of dentistry, especially orthodontics.

In 1997 the Ponsonby Practice opened at 103 Franklin Road in the old two story brick villa (built 1903) … and of course this is where Keith Nelson Dental is situated still today

Having completed many orthodontic courses over 20 years , and with a two year post-graduate diploma in Progressive Orthodontics, Dr Vikki has successfully treated many orthodontic patients using techniques including removable plates, fixed braces and clear aligners.

“To see children’s confidence, grow and develop purely from creating a great smile is something immensely rewarding” – especially nowadays when the whole procedure takes a relatively short period of time with minimal discomfort.

Vikki has 3 children. Alexandra, who (after completing an education degree at Victoria university is following in the family history by currently studying Health management at AUT whilst working part time in the family practice.

Tane again followed in the health profession, but opted to be a medical doctor as opposed to being a dentist. Tane is currently studying medicine at Otago university … (But apparently hasn’t ruled out going on to study dentistry or maxillofacial surgery in the future).

Gabi is Vikki’s youngest and attends the local high school just up the road from the practice, St Marys College in Ponsonby…Gabi’s main focus is water polo. Gabi still has a few years left to decide which career path she wants to take, however she does help out occasionally on reception at the practice.

Vikki is married to Graham. Graham is a keen sailor who over the years has been involved in sailing roles with Americas Cup Racing ,a NZ sailing team in the Barcelona Olympics and was part of the iconic round the world sailing team on Steinlager… lead by Sir Peter Blake. Graham is the calming family influence who keeps Vikki motivated to maintain an even work life balance through getting the whole family out on the Waitemata harbour and beyond.

Away from the daily challenges of work and family, and in order to clear the mind Vikki always endeavors to incorporate some ‘me’ time into her day. She does this by keeping fit & active by either working out at the gym, skiing, walking, running or simply by learning to play golf with friends.

At present she is a current member of the NZ Dental Association, Auckland Dental Association, NZ Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the NZ functional Orthodontic Society.

She is a founding member of the AAFDA in New Zealand This enables her to keep up with the latest advancements in dentistry and facial aesthetics.

Stela Dimitrova has considerable experience as a dentist including Bulgaria, USA and now in NZ.

She graduated at the Faculty of Stomatology in Sofia as a Stomatologist, a specialty which includes not only gums and teeth problems, their treatments and prevention of diseases, but also oral pathology and oral medicine.

After leaving her home country, she sat exams in USA and obtained a DDS. Degree in Dentistry in Los Angeles.

She has been part of the Keith Nelson team, since 2004, starting off in our Glen Eden branch. In February 2011 she joined us at the Ponsonby based Keith Nelson practice.

Her goal is prevention and early detection of dental problems, stabilisation of patient’s dentitions with minimal possible intervention and maintenance, so they can have their natural teeth for as long as possible. Stela has a very nurturing manner and will relax even the most nervous of patients.

She keeps up with the latest advances in dentistry, by attending courses and being a member of NZ Dental Association and NZ Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Stela is married and has a son.

Away from work she loves listening to classical music, walking, travelling and meeting people from different nationalities.

Priya graduated from the University of Otago in 1997 and has worked in private practice in both Hamilton and Auckland. She is passionate about providing high quality, reliable and friendly care for her patients.

Priya is a member of the Auckland Dental association and Auckland Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. She continues to upskill in order to meet the demanding needs of dentistry and has excellent communication skills, which enables her to efficiently deliver the long term, oral health care that her patients may need.

Dr Sophia Lee Mahendran is a caring, gentle clinician devoted to ensuring your dental visits at Keith Nelson & Associates are relaxed and as comfortable as possible. Sophia provides all facets of dental care to her patients, ranging from emergency care to full mouth restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Sophia is also accredited with the Australasian Academy of Dento-Facial Aesthetics to provide botox (Dysport) and dermal filler treatments for both facial rejuvenation and dental therapeutic purposes.

Sophia grew up in Torbay on Auckland’s North Shore. She returned home to Auckland after completing her Bachelor of Dental Surgery with Credit at the University of Otago. Sophia’s constant drive for clinical excellence sees her attending continuing professional education courses both in New Zealand and abroad

She has a keen interest in providing charity dental treatment, and has led dental teams in remote parts of Cambodia and the Philippines providing pro bono restorative and surgical dental services to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Sophia is a member of the New Zealand Dental Association, Auckland Dental Association and the New Zealand Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Outside dentistry, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, baking, and keeping active in the gym.

Dr Joshi completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Melbourne in 2015. Prior to moving to Melbourne to study dentistry, he graduated with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Auckland.

He has worked in both rural and urban settings and this has allowed him to enhance and develop his knowledge and clinical skills.

Dr Joshi strives to ensure his patients have the best dental experience possible and receive outstanding treatment and care. He ensures that he listens to the concerns of each patient in order to understand and tailor treatment to their specific needs. He endeavours to put his patients at ease and create a calm, relaxed, friendly and comfortable environment in order to provide pain free care.

Dr Joshi loves meeting new people and developing strong long-lasting relationships, whilst creating beautiful healthy smiles via a minimally invasive, holistic approach to dental care.

He enjoys all facets of dentistry with special interests in the areas of Cosmetic dentistry and Oral Surgery. He is committed to ongoing professional development and staying at the forefront of modern dentistry. He regularly attends courses and is constantly engaged in literature to keep up to date with the latest advances in techniques and technology. Giving back to the community is incredibly important to himand he has spent time volunteering in Cambodia, Australia and New Zealand. He is currently a member of the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA), the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and the Dental Board of Australia via the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Outside of dentistry he enjoys travelling, hiking, yoga, cooking and spending time with friends and family. You can often find him exploring the local farmers market in search of the best local produce or enjoying the local cafes and vineyards.

Kathy is a fully qualified hygienist. She has been working at Keith Nelsons since 1996. Kathy will clean and polish your teeth, and keep your gums and supporting structures in top condition. She will educate you about the home maintenance and care that will prevent gum disease and decay. Kathy also performs our in-house whitening procedures. She loves giving patients a brighter healthier smile that they can be proud of.

Kathy is a member of the NZ Dental Hygienists Association and attends regular courses to keep up to date in the latest dental hygiene techniques and treatments.

Nisha is a fully qualified Oral Health Therapist and Dental Therapist. She has international experience in the dental industry and has been working at Keith Nelsons since 1994. She will clean and polish your teeth to an exceptional standard and give thorough instructions for at-home care. Nisha is passionate about children and adolescents oral care, She has a big input in caring for the young people at our family practice. She keeps abreast of all the latest techniques and dental materials used in paediatric dentistry and hygiene.

Nisha is a member of the NZ Dental Hygienists Association and the NZ Dental Therapists Association.

Elena is an experienced hygienist with a kind, gentle touch, the perfect oral hygienist for those who are nervous or anxious in the dental surgery.

Originally from Europe, Elena moved to New Zealand many years ago, before she had children. She is passionate about her family who are now all grown up but who still manage to keep her busy, fit, and healthy. As do her 2 beautiful Border Collies whom she cherishes. We are so lucky to have Elena with all of her experience and passion to help educate patients on oral health. She is a pivotal part of our dental family.

Claire Vaevae is an Oral Health Therapist, who has a passion for oral health education. Her philosophy is if she can teach one person a day something new about oral health then that day is a success. Claire aims to make the dental chair an inviting place for everyone with her gentle approach to dental hygiene cleans. She hopes to have all her patients leaving with a grin from ear to ear.

Eden has worked at Keith Nelson since she left school in 2016. In that time she has developed into a competent, first class Dental Assistant and gained her full Dental Assistant qualification. Eden has a menagerie of animals (goats, dog, bunnies etc) which she adores. She brings that love of animals and softness into the clinic putting all of our lovely patients at ease. Eden is Dr Vikki Nelsons full time assistant and is always on hand to ensure our patients are fully looked after.

Always smiling, Gia is Dr Sophia Mahendrans long term dental assistant (and at the same time a wife and the mum to a special little girl). Gia has been with us for quite a few years now. She came from India as a fully qualified Dentist with a lot of experience and is currently sitting exams to be registered as a qualified New Zealand dentist. Gia is quiet, kind, always organised and keen to help out.

Georgia is a bubbly and keen, sun-worshipping Dental Assistant. She loves all of the West Coast beaches but especially the Piha surf. Georgia is energetic but soft at heart with an engaging personality and smile that will put you at ease whether in the dental chair or while waiting at reception.

Netali is from Israel, the land of tasty dates, olives and falafel. She loves the New Zealand nature and sailing landscape and her passions are hot yoga and swimming. Back at home Netali accomplished a certificate in Business. Over here in New Zealand she is a dental assistant who provides a calm and safe reassurance to her patients.

Jo Anne first started working for the Nelson Family back in 1997. She started as a receptionist and completed a dental assistant certificate all while raising 4 children. She became the Branch manager of the Franklin Rd surgery in 2000 then moved to the role of Practice Manager for both the Glen Eden surgery and the Franklin Rd surgery in her present role as Practice Manager. She has recently returned to us after an 8 year stint working for another dental practice – It feels just like coming home.

So what does this job entail? “I do everything behind the scenes, including all our office work. I also oversee & make sure things run smoothly in the surgeries and reception.”

Jo Anne likes to lead by example and is keen to make the staff the best that they can be, reminding them about excellence and generally ensuring that everyone working in the practice loves being there and gives the best they can.

Ali is Dr Keith Nelson's granddaughter, (Dr Vikki Nelson's eldest), and thus has been brought up in and around the dental clinic all her life. Ali has a degree from Victoria University in Education and is currently doing a Masters degree in Health Management & Leadership at AUT. When she's not studying, going to the gym, playing netball or reading, Ali is helping out with management on reception or dental assisting at Keith Nelson. Ali is passionate about her dog, Louie and loves spending time with him. She also prides herself on creating a good culture amongst staff and ensuring the wellbeing of all our patients.

Sophie is currently studying Health Science at Auckland University. When she is not studying or working she enjoys spending time in the outdoors, watching and playing tennis and being around her friends and family.

Fran is our front office wee slice of Brazil who has an extremely holistic and positive outlook on life. She exudes a calm positive aura yet is a very efficient, proactive ball of positive energy. At work Fran keeps us all in a positive mindset and ensures the front desk is running smoothly. When she isn’t at work Fran makes the most of being in New Zealand by meditating and travelling around the country with her German partner in crime.

Our canine mascot. The model in a lot of our facebook and insta posts
Louie loves food … but not so keen on tooth brushing.
Not particularly well behaved …but still part of the Dental family
Louie only attends the clinic on weekends when gardening and outside tidy ups need to be done ….Or when there is a photo shoot!!