If you’ve been following the news out of Middlesex County lately, you may have seen the story out of South River.
A woman was arrested in February after allegedly performing dental work — including starting a root canal — without a license. The patient found her through a WhatsApp group chat, agreed to pay $1,000 for the procedure, and showed up at the police station weeks later with gauze in his mouth and a half-finished root canal.
He paid $300 down. He never got it back.
It’s an extreme story. But the question it raises is one every patient in New Jersey should know how to answer:
How do you actually know your dentist is licensed?
Most people assume they do. Most people have never checked.
Here’s how to verify — in less than two minutes.
Step 1: Go to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs License Lookup
The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs maintains a public database of every licensed healthcare provider in the state. It’s free to use, requires no account, and takes about 60 seconds.
You can search by name, business name, or license number. Type in your dentist’s name, select “Dentistry” from the profession dropdown, and run the search.
A licensed dentist will show up with:
- Their full name
- License number
- License status (Active, Inactive, Suspended, etc.)
- License expiration date
- Any disciplinary actions on record
If the search returns nothing — or shows a license that’s expired, inactive, or suspended — that’s a problem worth investigating before your next appointment.
Step 2: Know What Credentials to Look For
A licensed general dentist in New Jersey must hold a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from an accredited dental school, and must pass both national and state licensing exams before they can legally practice.
Specialists — periodontists, endodontists, oral surgeons — carry additional board certifications specific to their specialty.
At a legitimate practice, you should be able to find this information without having to ask. It should be displayed in the office, listed on the practice website, and verifiable through the state database. If a provider is vague about their credentials or you can’t find them in the state system, that’s a red flag.
Step 3: Red Flags When Booking a Dentist Online
The South River case is a reminder that dental services are increasingly being advertised through informal channels — Facebook groups, Instagram, WhatsApp. Not every provider you find through social media is legitimate.
Here are the questions worth asking before you book with anyone:
Can you find them in the NJ Consumer Affairs database?
This is the first check. If they’re not there, don’t book.
Do they have a physical office address — not just a phone number or DM?
Legitimate practices have a fixed location. A home address or “I’ll send you the location” is not that.
Is pricing and treatment discussed in writing?
The patient in South River agreed to a $1,000 root canal over WhatsApp with no written treatment plan, no guarantees, and no recourse when it went wrong. A real dental practice provides written estimates and informed consent before any procedure begins.
Are there reviews you can verify?
Google reviews are tied to real accounts and locations. They’re not foolproof, but a practice with a verified Google Business Profile, a physical address, and dozens of real patient reviews is meaningfully different from a social media profile with no fixed location.
Are they willing to answer your questions before you book?
Any legitimate dental practice welcomes questions about their credentials, their approach, and what your first visit will include. Evasion is a red flag.
What Transparency Looks Like at a Real Dental Practice
At SiRa Dentistry in Spotswood, Dr. Peter Mikhail is fully licensed and credentialed with the State of New Jersey — and you can verify it yourself using the link above.
Beyond the legal baseline, here’s what our new patients can expect before a single instrument is picked up:
- A complete explanation of your treatment plan — in writing — before any work begins
- A clear, upfront breakdown of costs with no hidden fees or surprise bills
- A 9-step new patient experience that includes a full exam, 3D CBCT imaging, and a personalized health assessment
- The ability to ask questions at every step
We believe an informed patient is a protected patient. If you’ve ever wondered about a provider’s credentials — or if you’ve never checked and want to start — we’d be glad to walk you through our own licensing and answer any questions you have.
Verify Before You Book
Whether you’re looking for a new dentist or just want to make sure your current one checks out, the NJ Consumer Affairs database is the right place to start. It’s public, it’s free, and it takes two minutes.
And if you’re looking for a dentist in the Spotswood, New Jersey area, we’d love to meet you. Your first visit — including a full exam, 3D imaging, and a complete treatment plan — starts at $150.
SiRa Dentistry is located in Spotswood, NJ, serving patients throughout Middlesex County. Dr. Peter Mikhail, DMD, is licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry.
