The Dental
Family for
Your Family

Five years at the University of Otago Dental School saw Dr Keith Nelson graduate with a dental degree in 1962. It was during Dr Keith Nelson’s time in Dunedin that he cemented his rugby career and was made captain for Otago Rugby and Captain of the South Island Rugby team.

In 1962 after graduating, Keith married Aldyth (a senior dental school Orthodontic nurse and Otago Beauty Queen). After a short stint as a dentist in Balclutha, he headed back home to Auckland with his new wife.

Here Keith continued his dental career out in the wild west of Auckland, he continued to play rugby representing the New Zealand All Blacks from 1962 to 1964. Dr Keith Nelson captained Ponsonby ( his club team) Auckland and the North Island. Opening his own practice “Keith Nelson and Associates“ in 1965.

With strong family values, the practise was based around family dentistry with an emphasis on orthodontics and early care... and this continues to this day.

Vikki is the middle daughter of the three Nelson girls. After studying and completing a degree in economics at the University of Otago, she then continued on there also completing her five year dental degree and graduating in 1992.

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

In 1997 the Ponsonby Practice opened at 103 Franklin Road In an old renovated two story brick villa (cica 1903) … and this of course, 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 Nelson has successfully treated many orthodontic patients using the latest orthodontic techniques such as 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 has completed a Bachelor of Education at Victoria University, is following in the family footsteps and continuing her education with a second degree in Oral Health at Auckland’s AUT campus. All while continuing to work part time in the family practice. You will often see Ali at the front desk helping with general reception duties or in the
surgery dental assisting.

Tane, who has also followed in the sciences, and graduating from Otago University choosing to complete a medical degree with the long-term goal of becoming a anaesthetist.
Currently Tane is working as a junior doctor at Hutt Hospital, a few more years yet of study to complete!

Gabriella is Vikki’s youngest; she is heading off to Otago Uni to start a degree in Health Science, with her final choice of career yet to be decided. Her focus (at the moment), is to socialise, play water polo, and get involved in sport. Gabi works at the practice on reception and covers as a dental assistant in her mid-year breaks when needed.

Vikki is married to Graham Fleury a keen sailor who has been part of many sailing teams for Americas Cup Racing syndicates. He represented New Zealand in sailing at 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… Graham gets the whole family out on the Waitemata harbour and beyond as often as possible on the family boat to help de-stress and rebalance.

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 working in Bulgaria, the USA and now in NZ.

She graduated at the Faculty of Stomatology in Sofia as a Stomatologist, a specialty which covers not only treatment and prevention of disease of the gums and teeth, but also oral pathology and oral medicine.

After leaving her home country Stela sat exams in the 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 the early detection and prevention of dental problems and 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 of different nationalities.

Dr Sophia Lee Mahendran is a caring, gentle clinician devoted to ensuring your dental visits at Keith Nelson & Associates are relaxed and 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 Jonathan Liang was brought up in East Auckland and attended at Macleans College. He went on to pursue dentistry at the University of Otago, graduating with his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (Distinction). Jonathan joined the Keith Nelson Dental team in January 2023, and is looking forward to building long-term relationships with you (the patients) at this well-established family practice.

Jonathan is passionate about what he does and believes in forming partnerships with his patients. Through clear communication and a holistic approach, he hopes to guide you towards achieving your oral health goals. He has a special interest in digital restorative techniques, as well as tooth extraction and oral surgery. Jonathan has completed many courses and is experienced in providing ceramic crowns/bridges, root canal treatments, and removable dentures to a wide range of patients from all age groups and ethnicities.

Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, going to the gym, gathering with friends/family, photography and skiing. These are things he always tries to make time for which provides him with a balanced lifestyle. Dentistry has provided him with a challenging, yet rewarding profession that fulfils and allows him to give back to the people in the community.

Kathy is a fully qualified hygienist. She has been working at Keith Nelson & Associates 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 with 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 Nelson & Associates 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 childrens’ and adolescents’ oral care, She plays a big role 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.

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.

Jennie is a gentle and caring Oral Health Therapist who provides periodontal treatment and routine dental treatment for children. Patients' comfort and satisfaction is top priority for Jennie, and she takes pride in helping the community to maintain healthy mouths and creating beautiful smiles.

Jennie’s dental philosophy is to treat everyone in the way that she would treat her own family. She regularly attends professional development courses to maintain her high standards with the latest technology and clinical research. Her dental interests include non-surgical periodontal treatment, implant care, and teeth whitening.

Outside of dentistry, Jennie is also a qualified yoga teacher who also enjoys family time.

Eden has worked at Keith Nelson & Associates 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) whom 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 Nelson’s full time assistant and is always on hand to ensure our patients are fully looked after.

Bri is a positive smiling Dental Assistant at Keith Nelson & Associates. She has been studying at the University of Auckland and has been putting her experience and expertise in human psychology into practice at the clinic, helping to put all patients young and old at ease with her pleasant demeanour and chatty personality. As an existing orthodontic patient of Dr Vikki Nelson she has found her niche.

Giovanna works as Dr Stela's dental assistant, and takes great care of our patients at the front desk with a big smile! She has been a scout for a good twelve years, and is a big nature enthusiast. She absolutely loves hiking and being out in the great outdoors. Taking care of people has always been a calling that she loves.

Gabi works on reception or in the clinic as a Dental Assistant when needed. She is full-on and committed to sport and attending to her studies.

Gabi is the youngest of Dr Vikki’s three children. She is about to embark on a true adventure in life at the University of Otago in 2024. She has enrolled to study health science…who knows where this will end up taking her!

Gabi is a keen waterpolo player, a novice footballer and keen rugby supporter.

Maria is a fabulous and bubbly team member, working closely with Dr Sophia and on our reception, whilst continuing to finish her bachelor of commerce degree via correspondence through Victoria University. Originally from Russia , Maria and her family moved permanently to New Zealand when Maria was just six years old.

She is a former gymnast who absolutely loves anything to do with summer and the beach. Maria enjoys reading and participating as much as possible in one of her many outdoor hobbies, be it surfing, snowboarding or playing tennis.

Richie started working at Keith Nelson & Associates after leaving school in the early 1990s. She became Dr. Keith Nelson’s head dental assistant for the following 10 years. She then left to train as a dental therapist and after graduating she then worked as a school dental therapist, eventually getting married, and having a family. Richie has come back to help out at Keith Nelson & Associates on reception, or as a dental assistant when needed. She is a loyal and valued member of our dental family. We love having her experience and bubbly personality at the clinic, as do our patients.

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. 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.

After ten years working with the team at Keith Nelson and then ten years away Tanya has rejoined our family. Tanya has a long legacy with Keith Nelson, she started as part of the Keith Nelson family when she was only eight years old. Tanya was a regular fixture in the Nelson household, spending many hours at the clinic or with the Nelson girls at home while her mum, Lizzy, ran Keith Nelson’s clinic in West Auckland for over 15 years! She really enjoys building relationships with our regular patients, and in particular, loves being part of the journey with the children who do orthodontic treatment.

Our canine mascot. Louie is 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!!