How to Verify Your Dentist's Licence in the UAE (DHA, DOH, MOH, SHCC)

The UAE has four dental regulators, each with a searchable public portal. Verifying a licence takes about 90 seconds — well worth it before any significant treatment. ### Dubai — DHA (Dubai Health Authority) Portal: **sheryan.dha.gov.ae** → ‘Verify a Professional’ 1. Enter licence number or full name 2. Confirms: name, specialty, licence status (active/expired/suspended), qualifications, facility 3. Every licensed dentist in Dubai (including DHCC, DIFC and Silicon Oasis) must appear here ### Abu Dhabi — DOH (Department of Health) Portal: **doh.gov.ae** → ‘Tamm’ → ‘Healthcare Professional Search’ 1. Search by name or unified number 2. Shows: category, sub-specialty, licence expiry, facility ### Sharjah — SHCC (Sharjah Health City) & MOH (Ministry of Health) Sharjah has a hybrid: private clinics inside Sharjah Health City are SHCC-licensed; outside are MOH-licensed. MOH portal: **mohap.gov.ae** → ‘eServices’ → ‘Verify Practitioner Licence’ ### Northern Emirates — MOH (Ministry of Health) Same MOH portal serves Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. ### What to look for - **Status**: must be ‘Active’, not ‘Expired’ or ‘Suspended’ - **Specialty**: matches what the clinic advertises. A general dentist advertising ‘Orthodontics’ without an orthodontist qualification is a red flag - **Qualification**: BDS + Master's / Fellowship for specialists; membership of international bodies (AAP, RCS, AAO) adds credibility ### Common mismatches - A clinic labels someone ‘Cosmetic Dentist’ (not a UAE-recognised specialty). Check their base qualification instead. - A specialist licensed in one emirate treats in another under a temporary permit. Ask which portal to check. - Locum dentists on 30-day visitor permits — legitimate but should carry temporary DHA credentials ### If a licence is expired or suspended Don't proceed. Report to the relevant regulator (all four take complaints on the portals above). Suspended dentists sometimes continue working in unregulated clinics — the regulator wants to know. ### Solis Dental Clinic All clinical staff appear on the DHA sheryan portal under their full names and DHA licence numbers, refreshed annually.