You can check a dentist’s credentials in about fifteen minutes using New York State’s public license lookup, the American Dental Association’s directories, and the practice’s own doctor bios. At Sola Dental Spa in Staten Island, founder Dr. Anne Gershkowitz, DDS, a cosmetic dentist trained at NYU College of Dentistry, publishes her education, memberships, and clinical history precisely because patients should never have to guess. Before you book anywhere, it helps to know which credentials matter, where the official records live, and which questions separate marketing language from real qualifications. A good place to begin is comparing a doctor’s training against the practice’s full menu of dental services.
Verify the license through the New York State Office of the Professions, confirm memberships such as the ADA, and check that any specialty claim, like periodontics, is backed by board certification. Then read the doctor’s education and continuing training on the practice site before you call.
"I tell patients to look up my license before they ever sit in my chair. The New York State lookup takes two minutes and shows exactly what a doctor is licensed to do. A practice that has invested in real training is never shy about showing it."
Dr. Anne Gershkowitz, DDS, Founder, Sola Dental Spa
A patient from Tottenville came to us last year after a consultation elsewhere left her uneasy. The office had advertised ‘specialist implant care,’ but she could not find the treating doctor’s name in any specialty registry, and the bio page never said where he had trained. She spent one evening checking records, rebooked with a practice whose credentials she could verify, and told us the homework changed how she evaluates every doctor now. That instinct is worth copying.
Where do you verify a New York dental license?
Every dentist practicing in New York appears in the State Education Department’s public database. Search the name, confirm the registration is current, and look for any disciplinary history.
The New York State Office of the Professions runs a verification search that lists each dentist’s license number, original licensure date, and registration status. Disciplinary determinations are public record in New York, so a clean, current registration is the baseline every office should meet. The ADA’s Find-a-Dentist directory is a useful second stop, since membership signals a published code of ethics and ongoing continuing education requirements.
What does board certification actually mean?
Board certification is a voluntary examination process in a recognized specialty. It is the strongest available signal of advanced training in that field, and it is verifiable.
Every dentist earns a DDS or DMD, which are equivalent doctoral degrees. Specialty claims deserve a closer look. At Sola Dental Spa, for example, surgical periodontal and implant care is handled by Dr. Daniel Nejat, DMD, a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, which means he passed that board’s examination process in periodontics. Cosmetic dentistry works differently, since it is not an ADA-recognized specialty. There, the honest markers are named postdoctoral training, such as Dr. Gershkowitz’s advanced aesthetic dentistry program at NYU, memberships like the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and a portfolio of cases the doctor actually treated.
Which signals separate a strong practice from a slick website?
Look for the doctor’s own before-and-after photos, named continuing education, modern diagnostics such as 3D imaging, and bios that state exactly where each doctor trained.
Stock photography and vague phrases like ‘highly trained team’ tell you nothing. Real signals are specific: the dental school, the residency or fellowship, the year licensed, the technology in the operatories, and photographs of cases treated in that office. If you are comparing practices, our guides on what to expect at your first cosmetic dentist visit and the differences between general and cosmetic dentists explain what each kind of appointment should look like when it is done well.
What should you ask when you call the office?
Ask who performs each part of your treatment, how often the doctor treats cases like yours, and what imaging the office uses to plan care.
Three questions do most of the work. First, who exactly will perform the procedure, and what is that doctor’s training in it? Second, how many similar cases does the doctor treat in a typical year? Third, how will the office plan your case, with a 3D scan and written treatment plan or with a quick look and an estimate? Offices with strong answers give them happily. Hesitation, vagueness, or a pivot to promotional pricing is its own answer.
| Credential | Who grants it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| DDS or DMD | Accredited dental school | Equivalent doctoral degrees held by every licensed dentist |
| New York State license | NYS Education Department | Legal authority to practice, current registration, public discipline history |
| Board certification | Specialty board, such as the American Board of Periodontology | Examined, advanced competence in one recognized specialty |
| Memberships | ADA, AACD, and peer organizations | A published code of ethics and continuing education commitments |
Frequently asked questions
Is it rude to ask a dentist about their credentials?
Not at all, and no good office on Staten Island or anywhere else will bristle at the question. Doctors who invested years in training are usually glad someone asked. If a front desk cannot tell you where the doctor trained, treat that as useful information.
How do I check whether a dentist has been disciplined in New York?
Use the Office of the Professions verification search. Disciplinary determinations are published by the state, so you can see whether a license has ever been suspended, surrendered, or restricted before you book.
Does ADA membership mean a dentist is good?
It means the dentist agreed to a code of ethics and continuing education, which is meaningful but not the whole picture. Combine it with license verification, specific training, and examples of the doctor’s own work before deciding.
What is the difference between a DDS and a DMD?
Nothing practical. They are equivalent degrees with different names depending on the dental school. Dr. Gershkowitz holds a DDS from NYU and Dr. Nejat holds a DMD, and both credentials carry identical licensure standing.
Who should place a dental implant?
Ideally a clinician with formal surgical training, such as a board-certified periodontist, working alongside the dentist who designs the final restoration. When you call any office, ask who handles the surgical phase and who handles the crown, and how often they work together.