Meet Our Team
Tim Earl – Principal Dentist
BDS (Lond) LDSRCS (Eng) 1992
GDC Number: 67587
Tim graduated from Guy’s Hospital in London, England in 1992. Tim has worked in private practice for over 32 years (25 of those at The Lodge) and has undergone many years of postgraduate education with some of the world’s top dentists.
Tim is particularly interested in functional aesthetics (the harmony between form and function) and has completed his core and advance studies with The Dawson Academy from America – one of the world’s top teaching institutes for advanced restorative dentistry. He offers smile makeovers and cosmetic treatment as well as high quality general dentistry for all the family. Tim has also trained in facial aesthetics with his wife Justine. He can advise on most aspects of dental and facial aesthetics.
Tim has previously worked as a Practice Advisor and Independent Assessor for Denplan and the Denplan Excel Quality Programme. Tim also has a Certificate in Dental Practice Appraisal which qualifies him to help other practices with their clinical and non-clinical administration. Tim is a current member of The Dawson Academy UK, British Dental Health Foundation and the British Dental Association. He has also appeared on local radio as The Uckfield FM dentist which he did for a numer of years.
“I am very passionate about the treatment I offer my patients and constantly strive to improve my skills to offer them the best care possible. I particularly enjoy the relationships I have developed with my patients since being in practice. We have genuine fun with my loyal patient base while offering them top notch dental care. I don’t think many people actually enjoy going to the dentist – my patients do!”
Tim lives in Haywards Heath (since 2017) with his wife Justine and his two children Ella and James (along with cats Max, Daisy and Fluffy Fatboy (named by our, then, 7 year old son!) and a Golden Retriever called Luna. In his spare time he enjoys playing golf, long trail rides on his mountain bike and is a keen follower of stand-up comedy and live music. He is also an amateur stand-up comedian and comedy writer (recently receiving acclaim from BAFTA for his script ‘Wardens’). He has performed his stand up set in ‘Stand Up If You Dare’ for Comic Relief in 2013 at The Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells (raising £2000 for charity) and The Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate.
Tim and his wife are exploring a new sideline as film screenwriters, working together on a number of projects. Tim also holds a Diploma in NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming).
James Almeyda – Associate Dentist
BDS (Lond) 1996
GDC Number: 72251
James graduated from Guy’s Hospital in 1996.
He has worked in the private sector for over 25 years, having been a principal of his own practice in Rickmansworth prior to working for The Barbican Dental Centre at Canary Wharf in London. He has a wealth of dental experience to compliment the services offered already by Tim. James is currently in on a Thursday.
James enjoys house restoration and is interested in anything motor powered. He has built his own race car and has an obsession with classic cars, having restored and sold them in the past.
‘I love working at The Lodge Dental Practice as it is a very friendly practice and everyone made me feel very welcome as soon as I arrived. I’ve know Tim since University and it’s a great joy working with a friend.’
Ian Goldsmith – Associate Dentist
BDS (BIRM) 1990
GDC Number: 65901
Ian joined the practcie in Jan 2022. He owned and ran his own practice in Steyning for many years and has now decided to work closer to his home in Buxted. He has a great depth of experience in private practice in all aspects of dentistry and enjoys the daily challenges a busy practice brings. He is also an experienced Invisalign provider.
‘We are glad to have such a kind and experienced dentist join out team and he fits in brilliantly.’ Tim Earl Principal Dentist
Laura Snewin – Dental Hygienist
Dip Dental Hyg RCS (Eng) 2020
GDC Number: 260285
Laura worked as a dental nurse for six years before starting her dental hygiene journey. She trained at The Eastman Dental Institute in London during which time she was awarded the BSDHT and Tutors Prize awards along with having an article published in the British Dental Journal – ‘Endometriosis and Periodontal Disease’.
‘I am passionate about promoting oral health and working with patients to achieve this. I’m particularly interested in the relationship between oral health and general health.’
In her spare time Laura enjoys taking walks with her three dogs, looking after her rescue rabbits and horse riding.
‘Laura is an excellent member of our team. She shows immense maturity and ability for someone so early in their career journey and we look forward to working with her for many years to come.’ Nicole Birt Practice Manager.
Ria Palmer – Dental Hygienist
Degree in Oral Health Science 2024
GDC Number: 249860
Ria qualified as a Dental Nurse in 2013 and went on to work in the Maxillofacial Department at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, where she served as a specialist nurse and mouth care lead. She later re-trained as a Dental Hygienist at the University of Essex, graduating with First Class Honours and earning recognition on the Dean’s List for Excellence for both her degrees.
Ria brings extensive clinical knowledge and a patient-focused approach to our team. Outside of work, she enjoys kayaking, going to the gym, walking, and travelling and shares her home with a dog, two cats, and fish.
Holly Fisher – Management Team
GDC Number: 285272
Holly began her career in dentistry in 2016 and brings a wealth of experience across general, cosmetic, implant, and surgical nursing. She has held leadership roles including Clinical Lead and Head Nurse, before joining The Lodge Dental Practice as part of the Management Team in July 2025. Holly is committed to delivering high-quality patient care and supporting the wider team in maintaining exceptional standards.
In her spare time, Holly enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her friends, family, and has two cats, Winnie and Skye.
Lucy Blackford – Dental Nurse
GDC Number: 311102
Lucy became a qualified Dental Nurse in 2023, after beginning her dental career in 2021. She has been part of our team since June 2022. Before transitioning to dentistry, Lucy worked for many years within the NHS in hospital settings, bringing valuable experience to her role. She takes pride in her patient care and looking after our patients throughout their treatment journey.
She has a son, daughter and her dog Beau. She loves spending time outdoors, walking and riding horses.
Emily Wantling– Dental Nurse
GDC Number: 321480
Emily joined The Lodge Dental Practice in 2023, having started her career in dentistry in 2021. She qualified as a Dental Nurse in 2024 after completing her Level 3 Diploma. Prior to dentistry, she worked as a qualified hairdresser. Emily is dedicated to ensuring our patients feel comfortable and well cared for throughout their appointments.
She enjoys travelling and spending time with her two cats, Otto and Ebony, and her dog, Teddy.
Ian Cheshire – Clinical Denture Technician
Clin Dent Tech RCS (Eng) 2009
Nat Dip Science (Dent Technology) 2000
GDC Number: 138863
Ian works at our practice as our clinical denture technician, offering appointments on Tuesdays to see our patients first hand to ensure we achieve the best denture possible. Ian prides himself in his patient care and keen eye for detail making sure that he works together with our patients to fully understand the needs and aesthetics that our patients would like to achieve. We have been using Ian as our denture technician for over 20 years now, having full faith in the quality of his work.
Gregory Coffey – Associate Dentist
BDs (Hons), MSc Primary Dental Care, DipImpDent RCS
GDC no. 244888
Greg graduated from Cardiff University in 2013
He is the newest member of the team, joining us in 2026, and works on a Monday.
Since graduating Greg has strived to continually improve his skillset, undergoing postgraduate training and completing a Master’s degree (MSc) in Primary Dental Care, awarded by the University of Kent, allowing him to provide the very highest standard of generalist care to my patients. Although he likes all aspects of general dentistry, he has developed a special interest in dental implantology and, having obtained the prestigious Diploma of Implant Dentistry awarded by the Royal College of Surgeons, he is able to offer this more specialised treatment option to his patients.
In his spare time he likes visiting farms, garden centres and National Trust sites with his wife and young daughter. They are often accompanied by his Leonberger dog, Winnie. Any spare time he has he will be leisurely reading, going out and about photographing birds, or dabbling in astrophotography
