PESHAWAR: Khyber College of Dentistry (KCD) paid tribute to Professor Emeritus Dr Ahmad Iqbal on October 14, 2026, honouring the founding educator whose contributions helped shape dental education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and whose legacy extended to scientific publishing through the Pakistan Oral & Dental Journal (PODJ).
The condolence reference brought together the college’s serving and retired faculty members, who remembered Dr Iqbal as a teacher, mentor and institutional pioneer. Speakers recalled his determination to build dental education in the region, his commitment to nurturing generations of dental professionals and his sustained contribution to academic publishing.
A key announcement at the gathering was a proposal to name a block at KCD after Dr Iqbal. Dean Prof. Dr Syed Nasir Shah said the proposal would be taken forward following consideration by the college’s Academic Council, marking a proposed institutional tribute to a figure closely associated with KCD’s beginnings and subsequent development.
From two rooms to a dental education institution
Dr Iqbal’s legacy at KCD dates to 1964, when the Department of Dentistry was established within Khyber Medical College (KMC), Peshawar. The department began on a modest scale, operating from two rooms, before developing into a dedicated centre for undergraduate dental education and postgraduate training.
As its founding chairman, Dr Iqbal helped establish the department’s academic direction and launch its Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme. The initiative opened a pathway for formal dental education in what was then the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The department subsequently expanded its academic and clinical work, including postgraduate programmes leading to MSc and Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) qualifications. Its growth laid the institutional foundations for Khyber College of Dentistry, which emerged from the original department and developed into a dedicated dental teaching institution.
Speakers at the reference recalled the sustained effort behind this transformation, describing Dr Iqbal’s role in developing the institution and strengthening its academic foundations. His contribution was remembered not only through the college’s physical and organisational growth, but also through the teaching culture and professional mentorship he helped establish.
PODJ added a lasting contribution to dental research
Dr Iqbal’s work extended beyond institutional leadership into scientific publishing. In 1981, he established the Pakistan Oral & Dental Journal, creating a platform for dental professionals to publish research, share clinical experience and contribute to the development of dental scholarship in Pakistan.
PODJ has continued as a peer-reviewed dental journal, publishing research articles, reviews, case reports and other scholarly contributions. Its published history identifies Dr Iqbal as its founder, while the journal’s stated mission centres on advancing evidence-based dental science and supporting education, research and clinical practice.
Dr Iqbal remained associated with the journal’s editorial leadership for decades. Participants at the reference recalled that he continued serving as chief editor from 1981 until 2025, extending his contribution to dental academia well beyond his institutional retirement.
His work in education and publishing represented two connected strands of his professional life: developing the institutions in which dentists were trained and supporting the channels through which their research and clinical knowledge could reach the wider profession.
Dean, senior academics remember his mentorship
Dean Prof. Dr Syed Nasir Shah and other speakers reflected on Dr Iqbal’s services to KCD and the wider dental profession. Their remarks highlighted his dedication to teaching, his guidance of colleagues and students, and the personal kindness and mentorship for which he was remembered.
Prof. Dr Ghulam Rasool, Prof. Saleem Khan, Prof. Shamim Akhtar, Prof. Javed Qazi, Prof. Samreem, Prof. Manzer, Prof. Akbar and Eng. Gul Bahadar Khan also spoke in appreciation of Dr Iqbal’s professional contributions and personal qualities.
Dr Tallat Firdos also addressed the gathering. His name appears in dental academic publications, including a 2016 paper that identified him as Principal/Dean of Peshawar Dental College at that time.
The participation of serving and retired faculty members reflected the breadth of Dr Iqbal’s institutional relationships and the continuing regard in which his colleagues held him. Their recollections placed particular emphasis on the value of mentorship in dental education and on the influence a founding teacher can have across generations of practitioners and academics.
Quran recitation, prayers mark the condolence reference
The programme included two completions of Quran recitation before the gathering, followed by special prayers for the departed soul. The religious observances provided a solemn setting for colleagues to remember Dr Iqbal and pray for his forgiveness and eternal peace.
KCD faculty and staff also arranged refreshments for the participants following the programme. The gathering concluded with a collective expression of respect for Dr Iqbal’s services to the institution and the dental profession.
The proposed naming of a KCD block in his honour would provide a lasting institutional recognition of his role in establishing the college’s foundations. Subject to the Academic Council’s consideration, the initiative would also preserve the memory of an educator whose work began in two rooms at Khyber Medical College and grew into a lasting contribution to dental education and research.
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