Dr. Arif Alvi was sworn in as the 13th President of Pakistan on September 9, 2018. This political figure however got his start here at the University of Michigan’s School of Dentistry, earning a Master’s Degree in Prosthodontics in 1975.  

Official Portrait: Dr Arif Alvi, 13th President of Pakistan

Born in 1949, Alvi completed his early education in Karachi, Pakistan, moving then to de’Montmorency College of Dentistry for his Bachelor’s Degree, and finally completing his Master’s Degree at the University of Michigan in 1975.

Map of Pakistan and Pakistani flag

Despite a long career in the field of Dentistry, Alvi’s eventual transition to politics led him to a five-year term as President of Pakistan, sharing the same political party as the country’s prime minister, Imran Khan, elected in August of the same year.

 

In 2018, three Pakistani students at the UofM School of Dentistry share their feelings about an accomplished professional in their prospective field becoming President of Pakistan.

Three University of Michigan School of Dentistry Students holding the Pakistani flag. From left, Musa Qazi, Muhammad Atif and Filza Imran.

Photo of Muhammad Atif

Muhammad Atif

“For me, it was overwhelming. I am excited that a dentist became president and more excited because he is a Michigan alumnus from the same dental school where I am.”
— Muhammad Atif, enrolled in the Internationally Trained Dentist Program, upon learning the news on his way to class
“I feel extremely proud that somebody from my profession has been elected as the president of the country. I feel that dentists are not given the respect that they deserve compared to medical doctors in Pakistan, although the importance of dental health cannot be neglected. However, with Dr. Alvi’s election, I am hopeful that it will change the stereotypical perception.”
— Filza Imran, enrolled in the Postgraduate Certification Program in Regenerative Medicine, reflecting on Alvi's Presidency

Filza Imran