Dr Abdullah Aly Alkalaly became our very first Doctor of Dentistry at the 2018 winter graduations. Image Dr Abdullah Al Alkalaly and family at McEwan Hall on graduation day. A sunny winter’s morning outside McEwan Hall provided the perfect backdrop for Abdullah and his family to celebrate graduation day. Abdullah’s wife, Bodore and three children watched on as he was awarded his degree – with distinction. Award winner Abdullah is not only the first graduate of the DClinDent programme, but also the 2017 recipient of the Nairn Wilson Medal for Clinical and Academic Excellence. The medal is awarded to the student who performs best over our four programmes of study, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry and Prosthodontics at Edinburgh dental Institute. I am truly honoured to be receiving such a prestigious award. This could not have been achieved without the help of everyone involved at EDI from the director to the supervisors to nurses, lab technicians and the support and management staff at all levels. Dr Abdullah Aly Alkalaly Whilst in Edinburgh, Abdullah also achieved membership in Orthodontics within the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (M.Orth RCSEd) and the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons MRACDS(Orth). From Egypt to Edinburgh After graduating with honours from Cairo University, Abdullah spent much of his early dental career at a private practice in the Egyptian capital. From Cairo Abdullah moved to Japan where he undertook research in the Orthodontic Department at Kagoshima University. Remaining in research but not in Japan, he moved to Hong Kong where he completed his PhD in Orthodontics and then on to Qatar where he worked as an Orthodontic Specialist. Image Dr Abdullah Al Alkalaly and family on one of their trips around Scotland Scotland wide programme In commencing his studies on the DClinDent in Orthodontics at Edinburgh Abdullah became part of a Scotland wide orthodontic programme (SWOP). The programme is a collaboration between Edinburgh Dental Institute, and the Universities of Glasgow and Dundee and allows trainees from the respective institutes to work together and learn from each other. Collaboration over competition The collaborative and supportive environment at Edinburgh Dental Institute is an aspect of studying here that Abdullah enthuses about. He recalls late night studying with a class mate ‘armed with coffee and snacks’ for the three day long examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. …Cooperation and collaboration rather than mere competition is a very fruitful trait that all prospective trainees should try to adopt amongst themselves as it pays off by good relationship with colleagues, good memories and excellent results, for both of us got high marks in that examination. Dr Abdullah Aly Alkalaly Exploring Scotland In between studying Abdullah and his family enjoyed the sights of Edinburgh as well as trips further afield around the country. They named the Highlands, Perthshire and St Andrews as personal highlights. The programme support not only involves guidance in every step to achieving the final degree of DClinDent, but goes beyond that by providing all the necessary guidance and tools to pass the prestigious membership examinations of the Royal Colleges. Dr Abdullah Aly Alkalaly Abdullah is hoping to pursue a career involving research, teaching and clinical work to be able to utilize all his capacity and qualifications to the full. Related links Edinburgh Dental Institute The MClinDent and DClinDent programmes in Orthodontics Publication date 05 Dec, 2017