Dr Gillian Cottam qualified from Birmingham Dental Hospital with honours in 1978. After three years working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in general dental practice and at the Dental Hospital as a registrar in Oral Surgery. Gillian was awarded a Fellowship in Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons, by examination in 1981 in Edinburgh. Gillian then completed two years full time training in Orthodontics and was awarded the Dip. Orthodontics R.C.S. England in 1984.

She now treats orthodontic patients exclusively, although she is often asked for opinions on other branches of dentistry for accident or insurance claims.

Gillian has worked in Canada and spent some time at many clinics in the USA. She has worked at most of the Birmingham Hospitals as a locum consultant and has practiced Orthodontics in her own Acocks Green surgery since 1985.