Dr Araz Ahmed

After graduating as a dentist in 2007, I embarked on a career that commenced with a dedicated focus on full-time primary dental care. My initial professional journey spanned three years in this sector. Subsequently, I transitioned my clinical career towards the specialised field of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, encompassing positions in both public sector government hospitals and private sector practice settings. It was during my tenure in Oral and Maxillofacial surgery that I found myself increasingly drawn to fundamental biological enquiries, such as optimising post-surgical healing processes and stimulating orofacial tissue regeneration. This burgeoning interest in Regenerative Dentistry led me to a pivotal decision in 2013 when I proudly became a founding member of the inaugural MSc in Regenerative Dentistry programme at King's College London. This unique and pioneering course offered me the opportunity to delve deeper into my passion for Oral and Maxillofacial Regeneration. My dedication and pursuit of knowledge culminated in the award of a highly competitive international fully funded PhD scholarship from King's College London in 2015. Over the ensuing four years, I gained profound insights into Craniofacial Stem Cells and their pivotal role in Regenerative processes within the Oral & Maxillofacial region.
Building upon my academic accomplishments, I have continued to augment my clinical expertise in Oral Surgery. Since 2020, I have served as a Clinical Fellow in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery within the NHS secondary care system. My journey of academic growth and professional development has been further nurtured by the University of Plymouth and Peninsula Dental School, where I have refined my pedagogical and instructional abilities. This has enabled me to establish a presence as a Clinical Educator in Dental Education. Additionally, I have amassed valuable experience in treating Oral Surgery patients within a Primary Care-based Dental School, while also guiding BDS5 students in the intricacies of Oral Surgery clinics at Peninsula Dental School Education Facilities in Plymouth and Exeter. I had the distinct honour of receiving a highly competitive NIHR Postdoctoral award in Oral Surgery, marking a significant milestone in my professional journey. This accolade undoubtedly serves as a catalyst for my aspirations to become an independent researcher and practitioner in the field of Oral Surgery—a discipline that fuels my passion. Presently, I hold the esteemed position of NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Oral Surgery at the University of Plymouth and the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

BDS, MSc (KCL), PhD (KCL), MFDS RCS (Edinburgh), PGCert (ClinEd), AFHEA Bachelor of Dental Surgery 2007: Hawler Medical University
MSc in Regenerative Dentistry 2014: King's College London
Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) 2019: (GDC-UK)
PhD in Craniofacial Stem Cells and Maxillofacial Regeneration 2020: King's College London
 The Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2021
 
 PGCert in Clinical Education 2023: University of Plymouth 

General Dental Council (GDC) Member of British Association of Oral Surgeons (BAOS)

Member of Association of British Academic Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (ABAOMS)
Member of the Faculty Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh

Member of British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB)
Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy

I have interests in clinical and preclinical teaching of, amongst others:

Maxillofacial Regeneration, craniofacial stem cells, salivary gland tumors, salivary gland regeneration, skin cancer, oral medicine, clinical and preclinical aspects of Oral & Maxillofacial surgery. 

Clinical Audit and quality improvement studies