Meet Our Dental Staff
The brief descriptions below are designed to familiarize you with our staff’s training, professional credentials and work experience
Dr. Nishi Vakharia
Dr. Vakharia is a native of Illinois and has been practicing in Santa Fe since September 2002. Prior to moving to Santa Fe, Dr. Vakharia practiced outside of Chicago for 4 years. He graduated from the University of Illinois earning his Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree
He treats his patients with a comprehensive and advanced approach to achieve optimal oral health, wellness and rejuvenation. His patients receive the most esthetic, minimally invasive, caring and cost-effective therapies available in a contemporary, compassionate, patient-focused environment
Dr. Vakharia is committed to continual education and learning. He and his staff are highly trained and attend dental lectures, meetings, and dental conventions to stay informed of new techniques, the latest products, and the newest equipment that a modern dental office can utilize to provide state-of-the-art dental care
He has completed training at The Dawson Academy in St. Petersburg, FL. The Academy teaches dentists the essential principles and skills for complete care with primary concentrations in dental occlusion, the temporomandibular joints and comprehensive esthetic restorative dentistry
His advanced training continues at the world class Scottsdale Center for Dentistry where he attends meetings for Spear Education which provides an extensive curriculum for dedicated dentists to maintain the highest standards in comprehensive clinical dental care and experience
Dr. Vakharia is also part of an exclusive group of doctors who have completed the core CEREC curriculum at Scottsdale Center for Dentistry. He represents the highest level of CEREC proficiency and plays a vital role in testing the latest CAD/CAM products and staying involved in the next generation of CEREC evolution
Dr. Vakharia is committed to education and dedicated to guiding others. He works with some of the finest dental specialists in the event that multi-disciplinary care is necessary
Depending on the season, you may see Dr. Vakharia out skiing or golfing when he is not working. He also enjoys cooking, reading, traveling and spending time with his beautiful wife and four children
Affiliations
Dental Hygienist:
Marge has been with Dr. Vakharia since 2002 and is also from Illinois where she completed her hygiene education. She has received extensive training with specialists that were on the international forefront of preventive dentistry. That experience has carried through to her philosophy and method of health care delivery today.She is one of the finest hygienist around and very meticulous and conscientious about her work. She truly takes pride in what she does and that is why our patients love her.
Dental Hygienist:
Bear joined our team in March 2018. He moved to Santa Fe from Farmington after completing his degree in Dental Hygiene. Bear will make you feel like a part of his family, all while being sure to educate you on what you need to do to maintain a healthy mouth. He is very active in the performing arts around Santa Fe. Bear enjoys being a part of a barbershop quartet and traveling in his free time.
Dental Hygienist:
Kimberly has been practicing dental hygiene since 1999. She recieved her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree at Marquette University. She believes that preventive care and education are the keys to optimal dental health. She is active in continuing education and is current on the lastest hygiene technology. Kimberly is a team player and brings a positive attitude. Our patients truly enjoy having her as their hygienist. In her free time, Kimberly loves to spend time with her family and her husband.
Dental Assistant:
Natalia was born and raised in Santa Fe. She graduated from SFCC with her dental assisting certification and radiology license in 2020 and joined Dr. Vakharia in 2023. Natalia is fantastic at creating relationships with patients and making their time in the dental chair a good experience, all while assisting alongside Dr. Vakharia. Her fluency in Spanish has been a nice addition to our practice. In her free time, she enjoys being with her dog, Coco, spending time with her family and working out.
Dental Assistant:
Maria also joined our team in 2023. She was born in Colorado and moved to Santa Fe when she was 10. Maria graduated from SFCC with her Dental Assistant program along with obtaining her radiology license at the same in 2019, and has loved working in the dental field ever since. She is an expert in making our patients feel welcome and comfortable, and is also fluent in Spanish. Maria is an amazing Mom to her daughter and enjoys any extra time she has with being with her family and pets.
Patient Coordinator:
Alicia is a native of Santa Fe, and joined our team in 2024. In 2008, she completed the Dental Assistant program with PIMA Medical Institute and has been licensed & in the dental field ever since. She has found her place to be at the front desk where she loves helping and assisting our patients. She is dedicated and always ready to help to make sure the patient is satisfied. Alicia and her Fiancé have a darling little boy who was born in 2023. In her free time, she loves being in the outdoors, whether it be exploring, camping, fishing, swimming, or just being with close friends & family. A little fun fact about her is that many years ago, she owned & played for a female full contact football team that placed first for 2 years.
Patient Liason:
Maquela joined Dr. Vakharia’s team a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic as an extra set of hands to help screen patients. She has become a huge asset to the team. She is currently a full time student at California State University Long Beach, studying to become a Speech and Language Pathologist. Although dentistry isn’t in her career path, she enjoys learning from Dr. Vakharia and his staff, and expanding her knowledge to further benefit her education overall.
In her free time, Maquela loves to be around children, dance ballet, and spend time with friends.