Feel at home in our clinic.

Sophie Gray

ORTHODONTIST
BDS | DClinDent | MRACDS (Orth) | MOrthRCSEd

Sophie grew up in Christchurch and moved to Dunedin to study dentistry, following in her mother and grandfather’s footsteps. Following graduation, she lived in Auckland and Christchurch for three years working in both hospital dentistry and general practice. Sophie returned to Otago and in 2014 she completed her specialist orthodontic training (Doctor of Clinical Dentistry – Orthodontics). While studying, she developed an interest in craniofacial growth and focused her thesis research in this area.

Sophie has also completed her Membership in Orthodontics for the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) and her Membership of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (in Orthodontics). She is a member of the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists (NZAO) and the New Zealand Dental Association. Sophie has previously served as a committee member on the NZAO executive.

In her spare time, Sophie loves skiing, cooking, spending time with family and going for walks with her husband, children and her labrador Belle.

Nicholas Pittar

ORTHODONTIST
BDS(Hons) | DClinDent | MRACDS (Ortho)

Nick grew up in Nelson and moved to Dunedin in 2011 to start his undergraduate dental training. After graduating as a general dentist in 2015 he worked as a Dental House Officer at Christchurch Hospital and later in private practice in Riccarton. During this time, he completed his primary examinations for the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. In 2020 he returned to Otago University to specialise in orthodontics. Since graduating as a specialist orthodontist in 2022, Nick has worked as a locum orthodontist throughout New Zealand. Nick now splits his time between OrthoSouth in Christchurch, and Paul Crowther Orthodontics in Timaru.

Nick has completed his Membership for the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons in orthodontics. He is a certified member of the Australasian Board of Orthodontics (AOB), a member of the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists (NZAO) and the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA).

Outside of dentistry, Nick performs as a violinist in the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and enjoys running and day-walks in the Canterbury foothills with his partner Erika.

Anna Biddick

PRACTICE MANAGER

Anna began her career as a dental assistant in 2001 after finishing a Diploma in Applied Science. After working in Christchurch and the Gold Coast she moved firstly to reception and then into a practice management role. After 10 years managing a large general dental practice she moved into the Orthodontic field in 2021 and has not looked back.

Anna is passionate about ensuring that OrthoSouth delivers the highest standard of care to all patients. Her focus is on cultivating a seamless patient journey, maintaining the highest clinical standards, and fostering a supportive and high-performing team environment that reflects OrthoSouth's core values.

Anna enjoys spending time with her family which often involves acting as the dedicated 'taxi service' for her teenage children and supporting their various activities. She also has a keen interest in architecture and interior design, which usually means embarking on a large renovation project.

Leigh Blackadder

ORTHODONTIC AUXILIARY

Leigh is a registered Orthodontic Auxiliary and has worked in Christchurch since completing her training in Nelson in 2008. She originally qualified as a dental assistant in 1999 and worked in Christchurch until she had her son in 2007. She was then keen to pursue a career in orthodontics and hasn’t looked back since!

Leigh enjoys meeting patients and their families and encouraging them throughout their orthodontic journeys. She is friendly, gentle and enthusiastic about providing orthodontic care to children and adults alike. Her favourite part of the role is removing finished appliances and celebrating with each patient how their hard work has helped to achieve their beautiful new smile.

Leigh enjoys challenging walks, boxing gym and spending time with her son Alfie and their dog Reggie.

Kelly McLeod

ORTHODONTIC AUXILIARY

Originally from Little River, Kelly coached tennis in America and travelled for two years before returning to New Zealand to enter the dental industry. In the early 2000’s she trained to be a qualified Dental Assistant. In 2006, Kelly entered the orthodontic world and realized how much she loved working with children. In 2016, she furthered her qualifications and became a registered Orthodontic Auxiliary.

Kelly is great with children and enjoys being a part of something that can change their lives and give them confidence. Getting to know patients and their families is an important part of making patients feel at ease and Kelly says after joining the OrthoSouth team you really get that family feel. Kelly is calm, gentle and makes every patient feel comfortable in the chair. She loves adapting to new changes in technology and finds learning new ways of doing orthodontics to be both interesting and rewarding. 

Kelly is an outdoors girl. She loves nature, fishing, free-diving, and spending time with her family and friends.

Diane Cummings

ORTHODONTIC AUXILIARY

Diane joined the OrthoSouth team as an Orthodontic Auxiliary in February 2024 and enjoyed working in the orthodontic industry for 12 years prior to this.  She also worked as a Dental Therapist on the West Coast for many years.

Building rapport with clients and helping them feel at ease is something Diane takes pride in. She loves to see how patients evolve during their treatments as they grow in confidence. Diane feels very privileged to be part of both a patient’s clinical transformation and their happiness and satisfaction on completion of treatment.

Sonia Perry

ORTHODONTIC AUXILIARY

Born and raised in Oamaru, Sonia began her career in dental in 1991, working as a dental assistant and receptionist for a sole practitioner. In 1995, she moved to Christchurch, where she was introduced to a new world of dentistry and became a qualified dental assistant in 1997.

Sonia thoroughly enjoys getting to know patients and their families, supporting them throughout their orthodontic journey and seeing their beautiful smiles at the end of their treatment.

When she’s not working, Sonia finds relaxation in creating art with acrylic paints or pouring mediums. She enjoys daily walks with her Retrodoodle, Marley, and is a motor racing enthusiast, a passion she shares with her husband. They especially love following the Supercars series. In her free time,Sonia enjoys camping at the Waitaki Lakes with family and friends.

Baylee McConaghey

ORTHODONTIC, LAB AND ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT

Baylee started training as an orthodontic technician in a dental laboratory in 2020. This involved wire bending and acrylic work to create ortho appliances of a wide variety. Along the way she ventured into the prosthetic field, learning how to make dentures, mainly focused on the finishing stages, alterations and repairs. She enjoyed the hands on and attention to detail work this entailed, not to mention helping contribute towards patient’s confidence in their smiles. This dental lab experience ignited her interest in the world of orthodontics.

Baylee enjoys meeting new people and building rapport with patients. Outside of work, she enjoys catching up with friends and family,  keeping active and creative pursuits such as music and art. She also loves road trips, especially up to Blenheim to visit her parents and enjoy some fishing in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds.

Megan Whiting

RECEPTIONIST

Megan began her career in hospitality, where she developed a love for getting to know people and providing great customer service. She then moved into the dental field as an orthodontic receptionist, and today she enjoys welcoming patients and supporting the team at Ortho South.

Her favourite part of the job is seeing patients’ treatment journeys from beginning to end - watching their confidence grow and celebrating their beautiful smiles as they walk out the door. She also loves the chance to see patients and their families regularly and build lasting connections.

Outside of work, Megan tends to her large indoor plant collection, loves practising yoga and enjoys getting outdoors for camping trips with her fiancé, family and friends at beautiful Kaiteriteri. Megan especially loves to spend time with her beloved SPCA rescue Kitten Effy.

About OrthoSouth

OrthoSouth was established in 2016 when Sophie had an opportunity to start her own patient base in Christchurch Central. The practice has been growing ever since and has a steady referral base from other dental professionals and from patients’ friends and families. OrthoSouth is happy to see anyone for an orthodontic assessment. No referrals are needed.

Our Practice

Our philosophy at OrthoSouth is that everyone is different so we tailor our treatment plans specific to your individuality. We cater to children and adults alike. We are fun, welcoming and enthusiastic. We want every patient to enjoy the personal experience our friendly team provides!

OrthoSouth is fully digitised and we keep up to date with regular continuing education opportunities. We apply evidence-based orthodontics in our day to day practice and endeavour to provide the highest standards of professional care.

We are community minded at OrthoSouth and Sophie is proud to provide treatment under the Wish For a Smile Trust. She also gives presentations to other dental professionals and has been a member of the NZAO executive committee.