Our Practitioners

Meet the team!

Dr Nigel Cluer

B.D.Sc (Hons), Principal Dentist and owner

Dr Cluer has maintained a mercury-free, biocompatible approach to his dentistry for the past 30 years. His refined skill, honesty and kindness, combined with his unique ability to connect with people from all walks of life, is his secret to such a large following in the Byron Shire.

Having founded three previous dental practices, including the Brunswick Holistic Dental Centre, Dr Cluer’s new Bangalow clinic is his favourite. Intimate and peaceful, it’s a space which reflects his nature, one where he can nurture his patients without the pressure of a large clinic to oversee.

He’s always situated at the forefront of modern dentistry, due to ongoing research and training into all areas of dental advancement. He’s a member of the Australasian branch of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) – a science-based organisation which researches, encourages, and supports the use of biological dentistry. He’s SMART certified for the safe removal of mercury amalgam fillings.

Dr Cluer’s interests are ocean endurance swimming, yoga asanas, and reading the Bhagavad-Gita. He’s always trying to improve his service to Lord Krishna and His creation. A vegetarian for 30 years, he’s now adopting a fully plant-based diet to minimise his footprint in the world and to help alleviate the needless suffering of animals.

Dr Leigh Bayliss

BDS. Senior Dentist

Dr Bayliss has a wealth of wisdom and skill in all areas of dentistry, from cosmetics to orthodontics. He has fifteen years of experience working in private practice, ten years in the Northern Rivers. With his caring nature and big heart, Dr Bayliss has become a popular dentist.

He builds strong relationships with locals and their families and has a passion for being part of such a vibrant community.

In a quickly evolving industry, he remains on the leading edge, embracing new ideas and techniques to create the very best outcomes for his patients. He continues to study throughout the year, always attempting to match his heroes in dentistry.

Dr Bayliss’s passion for dentistry is only matched by his love of the ocean. He is a keen surfer, diver, and fisherman, and enjoys spending his weekends away camping close to the beach. He is also a dog lover and will often be seen walking his French Bulldog ‘Lenny’ in Byron and Bangalow.

Dr Damaris Fernandez

BDS, MOrtho (Spain) Children’s and General Dentist

Exceptionally qualified in Spain, Dr Fernandez graduated in 2006 with a degree in Dentistry from the University of Granada, and later went on to study a master’s degree in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics. She particularly enjoys working with children and teenagers, and loves to see how confident they are after having treatment.

Dr Fernandez decided to study dentistry after a traumatic injury to her upper front teeth at around 10 years old. Her dentist rebuilt her teeth, she got her smile back, and he became her hero.

As well as working extensively in the fields of general dentistry and orthodontics, she has been a teacher of paediatric (children’s) dentistry and a speaker at national dental conventions in Spain.

Dr Fernandez has also studied a master’s degree in Basic Research and Dental Biomaterials, and has several diplomas including a diploma in Orthognathic Surgery (jaw surgery correction treatment planning for severe orthodontic cases).

Open-minded, empathetic, and understanding with all her patients, she believes each patient has specific needs, so she always listens carefully and works with them to achieve the best possible experience and outcome.

Dr Fernandez moved to Australia in 2019, and is permanently settled in the Bangalow area with her Australian partner. In her spare time she enjoys visiting local markets and shopping at op-shops. She follows the 3 R’s rule: Repair, Reuse, and Recycle. She enjoys any kind of crafting including macrame, jewellery making, painting, water colouring, and paper. But she especially loves creating her own projects at her sewing machine.

She is health conscious, eco-friendly, likes to go hiking, and has a little garden at home where she grows vegetables and flowers.

Dr Meritxell Jimenez

(B.D.Sc)

Dr Meritxell Jimenez is an accomplished dentist who is exceptionally skilled in crown and bridge. She graduated from the International University of Catalonia in 2005, then obtained a master’s degree in Occlusion and Oral Rehabilitation from the University of Barcelona in 2016.

In keeping with her specialist training, Dr Jimenez has a passion for digital smile design, implant restorations, and full mouth rehabilitations.

She has a most wonderful blend of qualities for a dentist; she is technically skilled, compassionate, warm, and friendly, plus she follows a holistic approach that considers the overall wellbeing of the individual to achieve excellence in patient-centred care.

Outside the clinic, a love for animals and dedication to reducing her carbon footprint has led Dr Jimenez to embrace a vegan lifestyle. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, relaxing on the local beaches, and immersing herself in the beauty of the natural surroundings. With a vibrant personality and approachable demeanour, she has become a valued member of the Northern Rivers community, where she is committed to promoting oral health and holistic wellbeing.