The couple, from Saudi Arabia, have just completed three years of study at the university's School of Dentistry and gained doctorates in clinical dentistry, both focusing on endodontics.
Endodontics is a branch of dentistry involving structures inside the tooth, and includes root-canal treatment.
As well as the joy of completing their degrees, and qualifying to undertake specialist work, Drs Alothmani and Siddiqui made their mark as the first married couple to gain the Otago clinical doctorate in the same discipline.
They are the also the first researchers from Saudi Arabia to gain the Otago clinical doctorate.
Dr Alothmani said that a great deal of work had been needed, but it had been a "double joy" to graduate at the same ceremony, and for each to watch the other walk across the stage at the Dunedin Town Hall.
Dr Siddiqui said the past three years had been "extremely challenging", particularly in caring for their son, Faris, who was only 8 months old when they began their studies in early 2008.
Meeting all the deadlines, writing her thesis, undergoing clinical training and "all that in a new country so far away from home and family" had not been easy, but the overall learning experience at Otago had been "great".
They were keen to share what they had learned through their planned teaching work "back home", she said.
"We both were very passionate about endodontics and it was our dream to become endodontists even before we got married."
They had been demonstrators (teaching assistants) in endodontics at King Abdulaziz University, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before coming to Otago on postgraduate scholarships.
They would soon be working at the Saudi university as full-time staff members when they returned.
Otago school head of endodontics Prof Robert Love said the couple had risen well to the "big challenge" of doctoral research and meeting specialist clinical training requirements.
They would also contribute positively to the school's international academic links, he said.
