Ion exchange (Na⁺ with K⁺) on glass-ceramic system with a specific crystalline phase can lead to materials with superior chemical, physical and mechanical properties. The aim of this study is to characterize newly synthesised nepheline glass-ceramics for dental restorative applications. Four novel experimental glasses based on the nepheline composition were ground into fine powders and then sinter-crystallized into monolithic glass-ceramics. The developed glass-ceramics were characterized before and after ion exchange in a potassium nitrate bath using X-ray diffraction, EDX-SEM, biaxial flexural strength, hardness and solubility testing in accordance with ISO-6872. The ion exchange process on the nepheline containing glass-ceramic increased the characteristic strength by more than 163% compared to the starting value. The strength scatter decreased after ion exchange for the nepheline-containing glass-ceramics by 10%. The characterised glass-ceramics in this work have the potential to be further developed into layering glass powders, which can be ion exchanged after sinter-crystallization to produce dental restorations with superior mechanical and chemical properties.