How to check a practitioner is qualified and licensed

A framed certificate shows that something was issued once. It does not show that a licence is current, that it covers the treatment or that it belongs to the person treating you. A register can show those things. This page shows you the steps.

It is general information. We do not list rules for any one regulator here. Use the regulator's own site.

What is the decision rule?

Name, number, register, scope. Get the practitioner's name and licence number, find them on the regulator's register, then check what the licence lets them do. If you cannot do all four, do not book.

Who is the regulator?

Health professionals are licensed by a health regulator. Which one depends on your emirate or country, and on the type of professional. The clinic should be able to tell you. Search for the regulator's own official site, and use its register. Do not use a link from an advert or a message.

What are the steps?

1. Ask the clinic: "Who will treat me, and what is their licence number?"
2. Find the regulator's official register. Search for the regulator by name and check the web address.
3. Enter the name or number. See whether the person is listed and current.
4. Check the type of licence. A licence in one field is not a licence in another.
5. Check that the clinic itself is licensed, too. Facilities are licensed separately.
6. Write down the date you checked.

Our directory states the same rule for listings: the licence is checked on the regulator's own register. It is still your job to check yours.

Questions to ask your clinic

Questions to ask your clinic

1. What is the name and licence number of the person who will treat me?
2. What is the licence for, and does it cover this treatment?
3. What training does this practitioner have for this treatment?
4. Is the clinic licensed, and can I see the facility licence number?
5. Who is the doctor or dentist in charge?
6. What happens if the treating person is away?

Ruling: if they say "we are all qualified" without a name and number, ask again. If the answer stays vague, stop.

What should I watch out for?

• A licence that is out of date, from another country or for a different field
• A name that does not match the register
• "Our doctor supervises remotely" with no details
• A person who is not named
• A clinic that says it does not need one
• Photos of certificates instead of numbers

What if the treatment is at a home, hotel or pop-up?

Be careful. Ask the same questions, in advance, in writing. If the person will not give a name and number, do not book. Our page on who should be injecting you goes deeper on injectables.

What about training?

A licence tells you the person is registered. It does not tell you their experience with one treatment. Ask how often they do it, and how they handle problems. Do not accept experience claims as proof. They are claims.

How does this fit with a full check of the clinic?

Use this page with how to check a clinic before you book and questions to ask at a first consultation. If you cannot confirm, do not pay. See what to do if a treatment goes wrong for why this matters.

Common mistakes

• Trusting a wall certificate
• Checking the clinic but not the person
• Using a link from a message
• Not saving the date of the check
• Assuming a doctor can do any treatment