The Dentists & Hygienists

Hunter Robb  |  BDS

Principal Dentist

Hunter Robb is a 1997 graduate of Otago Dental School. After a residency at Wellington Hospital as a Dental House Surgeon, Hunter spent 3 years in Britain working in general dentistry and 1 year in Australia as a flying dentist.

He moved to Nelson with his family and joined the staff at Advanced Dental in January 2004, and brings with him a gentle manner and a great sense of humour.

In 2008 Hunter became a principal at Advanced Dental.

Hunter spends his weekends with adventure mountain biking, kayaking or with his family.

Rosie is the friendly face you will see assisting Hunter.

Note: Hunter is taking on new patients.

Caris Heiniger  |  BDS

Associate Dentist

Caris graduated from the University of Otago in 2020.

After working in Taupo, she decided that she wanted to move closer to family and friends, and joined the team at Advanced Dental.

She believes that maintaining good oral health is a fundamental aspect to overall well-being, not only impacting general health, but also giving people the confidence to show their beautiful smiles.

Outside of work, Caris enjoys skiing, and recently found a love for mountain biking. She is excited to explore all the stunning tracks the Nelson area has to offer.

Stevie is the experienced dental assistant that works alongside Caris.

Note: Caris is currently taking on new patients.

Gareth Gregg

Associate Dentist

Gareth graduated from the highly regarded Charles Clifford Dental School in Sheffield in 1995 and after graduating he worked in Buxton in the Derbyshire area of England.

In 1998, following a holiday to New Zealand, Gareth decided to make this country his home.

In 2003 he established his own practice in Tauranga and successfully operated Welcome Bay Dental Care for nearly twenty years before deciding it was time for a change. At the end of 2022, Gareth moved with his family to the sunny Nelson area and is loving exploring everything the region has to offer.

Gareth is an avid cyclist and thoroughly enjoys getting out on the bike trails whether it be on a road bike, mountain bike or gravel bike.

Gareth is also passionate about creating beautiful smiles, so come and see him to discuss your individual dental situation and together find a solution to suit your oral health needs.

Gareth works alongside two skilled chairside assistants Courtney & Alice.

Note: Gareth is currently taking on new patients.

Lily Thoroughgood

Oral Health Therapist

Lily is a graduate of the Otago University Faculty of Dentistry with dual training in oral health therapy and dental hygiene.

Over the past year she has worked to provide general dental care for the local children under the Community Oral Health Services and has also worked part-time delivering hygiene services at the Nelson Hospital.

Her bubbly personality and calm nature create a perfect space for even the most anxious patients to feel comfortable. With a gentle hand and a keen eye for detail she takes pride in delivering excellent and personalized care with patient comfort at the center.

Lily is passionate about patient education, finding joy in imparting knowledge to empower individuals to maintain their own optimal oral health.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Lily is a social individual who enjoys spending quality time with friends at the beach and exploring the diverse offerings of our local cafes and restaurants. Additionally, she nurtures her creative side through a love for music and singing.

Lily is also accompanied by Maddie when needing a helping hand.

Note: Lily is currently taking on new patients.

James Marshall  |  BDS

Principal Dentist

James Marshall is a 1995 graduate of Otago Dental school. James became a Principal in 2002 after a short stint as an associate in the practice.

James is a popular dentist who offers the broad range of general dentistry to his patients. He has an interest in implantology, having done several Mini Residency courses.

James spends his spare time down the sounds at his family batch, on the water fishing or out running

James is assisted by his two dental assistants, Chris and Alice.

Note: James is taking on ew patients.

Samantha Grant  |  BDS

Associate Dentist

Samantha graduated from Otago University Dental School in 2010 with Credit.

Samantha is a member of the advisory council for the NZ Dental Association to help further dentistry in New Zealand. She is also the facilitator for general practitioner continuing development program for Nelson and is a mentor for new graduate dentists.

After graduation Samantha spent five years working at Whangarei Hospital as a House Surgeon and Senior Community Dentist traveling throughout the Far North of New Zealand working with children, medically complex patients and in surgery.

In 2015 Samantha moved to Nelson to join Advanced Dental. Since then Samantha decided to build on her love of aesthetics, surgery and facial anatomy. She has trained with AADFA to become a injectable facial aesthetic practitioner. Completed further training in cosmetic dentistry primarily veneers and a mini residency in implantology with our local oral surgeon. Samantha has a love for education and can often be found doing webinars in her spare moments. She has a particular interest in using Botulinum Toxin for migraine and jaw pain management.

Samantha enjoys being able to create beautiful smiles and faces by integrating skincare, facial injectable treatments and cosmetic dentistry.

Samantha is happy to be back in the South Island where she enjoys the running tracks, skiing and water sports Nelson has to offer. She lives on a lifestyle block with alpacas, pigs and her two dogs.

Courtney and Alice are the talented chairside assistants that works alongside Samantha.

Note: Sam is not taking on any new dental patients, only cosmetic .

Tanya Aggarwal

Oral Health Therapist

Tanya graduated from the University of Otago in Dunedin and moved to Nelson in 2022.

As an Oral Health Therapist, she has a dual scope in both dental therapy and dental hygiene. Tanya brings ethnic diversity and highly-skilled hygiene services to the Advanced Dental Team.  

Through a gentle and informative approach to treatment, Tanya is able to adapt to your needs and comfort. With a blended technique of hand instruments and ultrasonic scaler, patients can expect quality treatment without the sensitivity and discomfort. 

Tanya also works with children and adolescents providing restorative care and treating dental decay alongside the Nelson District Health Board.

Developing individualized oral health habits that are sustainable are integral to improving oral health. Change in habits takes time and ideal doesn’t work for everyone but healthy beautiful smiles can be achieved by everyone.

Tanya is accompanied by Maddie when needing a helping hand.

Note: Tanya is not currently taking on any new patients.