How to Check a Dentist Abroad Before You Book
The checks that matter most before you travel for dental work: license, clinic permits, the treatment plan in writing, and who handles follow-up.
Start with the person, not the clinic
A clinic's website tells you about the building. What matters most is who will treat you. Ask for the full name of the dentist who will do your treatment and for that dentist's license number.
Mexico: look up the cédula profesional
Every licensed professional in Mexico has a cédula profesional. You can search it by name in the Registro Nacional de Profesionistas, run by the Secretaría de Educación Pública. Check that the name matches and that the degree is in dentistry. Specialists, such as oral surgeons or prosthodontists, have a separate specialty cédula.
Other countries
Most countries have a national dental council or registry. Ask the clinic which body licenses its dentists and look the dentist up there yourself rather than relying on a certificate photo.
Ask about the clinic's permits
Clinics generally need a health-authority permit to operate and, in some countries, to advertise. In Mexico the federal health regulator is COFEPRIS. Ask what permits the clinic holds.
Get the plan in writing
Before you travel, ask for a written treatment plan that lists each tooth, each procedure, the materials and brands, and the total. Ask what could change once they examine you in person.
Know the follow-up plan
Ask what happens if something fails after you get home: who pays, whether you must travel back, and whether the clinic works with any dentists in your area. Tell your home dentist what you are planning.
Reviews
Read reviews on platforms where you can see the reviewer's history, and be cautious of perfect ratings with no detail. Before-and-after photos are marketing; ask whether they are the dentist's own patients.