How to Search for and Verify California Dentist Licenses

Manual Reviewer User Guide to California Dentist Licenses

How to perform a California Dentist License Lookup - This guide supplies everything you need to verify Dentist licenses in California using authoritative state sources. Please share whether this guide was helpful! success@meshverify.com.

Dental Board of California

Quick Links and Contact Information

Use for: Dentist (DDS/DMD) licenses, dentist anesthesia and sedation permits, dental assisting licenses and permits (RDA, RDAEF, OA, DSA), and related Dental Board-issued permits.

Official license lookup portal URL: https://search.dca.ca.gov/
Board website: https://www.dbc.ca.gov/
Verification instructions page: https://dbc.ca.gov/consumers/index.shtml

Main phone number(s): (877) 729-7789 (Toll Free); (916) 263-2300 (Direct)
BreEZe / portal support: (916) 557-1208
Email or web contact form: https://www.dbc.ca.gov/about_us/contact_us.shtml

Dental Hygiene Board of California

Quick Links and Contact Information

Use for: Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP), Registered Dental Hygienist Extended Functions (RDHEF). Not used for dentist (DDS/DMD) licenses.

Official license lookup portal URL: https://search.dca.ca.gov/
Board website: https://dhbc.ca.gov/
Verification instructions page: https://dhbc.ca.gov/verification/instructions.shtml

Phone number(s): (916) 263-1978 (dhbc.ca.gov)
BreEZe / portal support: (916) 557-1208 (rcb.ca.gov)
Email or web contact form: https://dhbc.ca.gov/contact_us.shtml

Mailing Address:
2005 Evergreen Street, Ste. 1350
Sacramento, CA 95815 (Dental Hygiene Board of California)

What This Lookup Verifies

The California Dentist License Lookup confirms whether an individual holds a license issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and whether that license is current, expired, or subject to disciplinary action. When sourced directly from the DCA License Search, this is primary source verification.

Manual reviewers validate the following fields in the California Dentist License Lookup record:

Which board should be used?

Selecting the wrong board causes false negatives in the California Dentist License Lookup. Always match the claimed role to the issuing board before searching.

Manual Verification Steps

• 1.  Open the official California Dentist License Lookup portal: https://search.dca.ca.gov/. 
• 2.  Use Advanced Search (recommended) at https://search.dca.ca.gov/advanced to narrow results before you search.
• 3.  In Advanced Search, select the correct Board or Bureau (Dental Board of California for dentists and dentist permits).
• 4.  In Advanced Search, select the correct License Type (Dentist License, or the specific permit being verified).
• 5.  Search by license number first; if no license number is available, search by last name and first name and keep the board and license type filters in place.
• 6.  Open the full license record (click into the individual result); do not rely on the summary list alone.
• 7.  Confirm these required fields in the full record: licensee name, license number, license type, license status, issue date, expiration date, issuing board, and any disciplinary indicators or linked documents.
• 8.  If the status shows discipline or restrictions, open any linked enforcement documents (when available) and document what you reviewed; if documents are not available in the record, contact the issuing board using the contact section above.

License Status Interpretation

Active

Meaning: License is current and the individual is eligible to practice under the privileges of that license type.
Reviewer action: Pass status verification if identity and license type match; record the status, expiration date, and evidence capture from the California Dentist License Lookup record.

Expired / Inactive / Delinquent

Meaning: License is not in an active practice status, or the expiration date has passed without renewal; the individual is not authorized to practice under that license status unless and until restored to an active status.
Reviewer action: Treat as not eligible for practice; escalate per policy and request updated documentation, then re-verify in the California Dentist License Lookup. 

Disciplinary indicators (examples include suspension or revocation)

Reviewer action: Open and review linked disciplinary information when present; if information is unclear or missing, contact the issuing board and document the outreach and the board response.

Example License Number Formats

Reference only. Fictional examples.

Examples

Unique License Types

Dental Board of California (common licenses and permits you may encounter)

Dental Hygiene Board of California (common licenses you may encounter)

Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)
Registered Dental Hygienist Extended Functions (RDHEF)
Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP)

If the license type does not match the claimed role, flag it for review and resolve the mismatch before passing the California Dentist License Lookup verification.

Common manual review mistakes

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