You can verify a plastic surgeon's credentials in about five minutes using free public tools. Confirm certification with the American Board of Plastic Surgery, check the California medical license and any discipline through the Medical Board of California, look up society membership, and confirm the surgical facility's accreditation. Finish by asking about hospital privileges and experience with your procedure. Each step takes about a minute.
"Board certified" appears in nearly every plastic surgery ad. But certified by which board, and in what specialty? Most patients never check, often because they assume it will take hours.
It doesn't. You can verify a plastic surgeon's credentials in about five minutes with a phone and a few free websites. Whether you're comparing surgeons in Newport Beach or anywhere else in California, the same tools apply.
This guide walks you through each step, minute by minute: what to search, what the results mean, and what the lookup can't tell you. If you'd like more background on what board certification involves, our guide on how to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon in Newport Beach covers the basics. This article is the hands-on version.
Why You Should Verify a Plastic Surgeon's Credentials Yourself
"Board certified" only means something when you know which board issued it. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties to certify plastic surgeons. Other boards may sound similar but have different training requirements.
California law addresses this issue directly. Under Business and Professions Code Section 651, a physician may advertise board certification only from a recognized board, and the ad must name that board with comparable prominence.
The distinction has teeth. In December 2018, the Medical Board of California voted that the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is not equivalent to a board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). An independent review found its fellowship training did not match accredited residency programs. That's why five minutes of checking is worth it.
Minute 1: Confirm Board Certification
Go to the American Board of Plastic Surgery website and search the surgeon's name. If the surgeon is certified, the result confirms it. You can double-check on the ABMS Certification Matters site, which covers all 24 ABMS member boards.
Search the American Board of Plastic Surgery
The ABPS "Is Your Surgeon Certified?" tool lets you search by name or location. Certified surgeons have completed accredited plastic surgery training and passed both written and oral exams. Certificates issued since 1995 are the last 10 years and require ongoing maintenance, so an active status matters.
Double-check on ABMS Certification Matters
Certification Matters, run by ABMS, is free and doesn't require an account. Search by name, state, and specialty. It confirms certification only. It doesn't show discipline, which is why minute two exists.
If a search returns no results, try variations of the surgeon's name, including a middle initial or a full first name. If you still can't find a listing, ask the practice which board certified the surgeon and look up that board by name.
Minute 2: Check the California Medical License
Search the surgeon on the Medical Board of California's license lookup. You'll see whether the license is active, when it expires, and whether the board has taken any public action. Look for words like probation, suspension, revocation, or accusation.
The Medical Board of California lookup runs through the state's BreEZe system. You can search by name, license number, city, or county. A physician's public profile can show:
- License status and expiration date
- Disciplinary actions, including probation, suspension, revocation, and public reprimands
- Accusations that have been formally filed
- Certain criminal convictions
- Malpractice judgments and arbitration awards
- Loss of hospital privileges
- Actions taken by other states
Know the limits, too. Under Business and Professions Code Section 803.1, the law discloses some information, such as individual malpractice settlements, only when certain thresholds are met. A clean profile is a good sign, not a complete background check.
If you do see a public action, read the details. Some entries are minor or administrative, while others are serious. You can ask the surgeon about anything you find. A professional, direct answer tells you a lot.
A clean license is a good start. It's one piece of the picture, not the whole thing.
Minute 3: Look Up Professional Society Membership
Membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) or The Aesthetic Society adds another layer. Both require board certification, and both set standards for ongoing education and where members can operate.
Use the ASPS Find a Surgeon directory to confirm membership. ASPS members must be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada) and must operate in accredited or licensed facilities. Note that ASPS says it doesn't independently verify every detail members add to their profiles, so treat the directory as confirmation of membership, not a full review.
The Aesthetic Society's membership standards are also demanding. Members must be board certified, document significant cosmetic surgery experience, operate in accredited facilities, and be sponsored and elected by existing members.
Local societies can add context as well. Dr. Agha, for example, is a member of the Orange County Society of Plastic Surgeons, a regional group of plastic surgeons. Membership in a local society won't replace board certification, but it can show involvement in the professional community where you'll have surgery.
Minute 4: Verify the Surgical Facility
Ask where your surgery will take place and which organization accredits the facility. Then search that facility in the accreditor's online directory. Accreditation means the operating room has passed an outside review of equipment, staffing, and emergency preparedness.
Common accrediting organizations include QUAD A (formerly AAAASF), AAAHC, and The Joint Commission. Each offers a public search:
- AAAHC's accredited organization search
- QUAD A's patient directory, which notes that accreditation can be terminated, so current status matters
- The Medical Board of California's outpatient surgery setting database, which shows the accrediting agency for California outpatient settings
Why it matters: ASPS reports that serious complications in accredited facilities occur in fewer than 0.5% of cases. California also limits anesthesia beyond local or nerve blocks to qualifying settings, such as accredited outpatient facilities.
The same standard applies to every practice, including ours. If you're considering surgery at our Newport Beach surgery center, ask our team which organization accredits it, then look it up yourself. We'd rather you check than wonder.
Where your surgery happens deserves the same scrutiny as who performs it.
Minute 5: Ask About Hospital Privileges and Procedure Experience
The last minute happens in conversation. Ask two questions: "Do you have hospital privileges to perform this procedure?" and "How often do you perform it?" Clear, specific answers are what you want. A surgeon who performs your procedure every week will usually answer without hesitation.
Hospitals review a surgeon's training and competence before granting privileges for a procedure. The Aesthetic Society recommends confirming that your surgeon holds privileges for the operation you're considering.
If the answer is "occasionally," ask how many cases they've done in the past year and whether they can show you results. Experience with your specific procedure matters as much as general credentials. A surgeon who performs complex revision plastic surgery or breast augmentation regularly will have a deeper feel for planning, technique, and managing the unexpected. Ask to see before-and-after photos of that surgeon's own patients.
Red Flags to Watch for During Your Check
Be cautious if a surgeon's certifying board doesn't appear on ABMS Certification Matters, the license shows serious public action, or the practice can't name the facility's accrediting organization. Vague answers deserve follow-up questions.
A few other warning signs are worth noting:
- Credentials listed with unfamiliar board names or no board named at all
- Before-and-after photos that look inconsistent or can't be identified as the surgeon's own patients
- Pressure to book quickly or pay a deposit before your questions are answered
- A reluctance to say who will perform your surgery or administer anesthesia
- Prices far below the local norm with no clear explanation
None of these alone proves a problem. Together, they suggest you should keep looking.
What Verified Credentials Look Like in Practice
To see how this process works, consider board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Siamak Agha, who leads The One Plastic Surgery Center in Newport Beach. Here's what a patient checking his background would find in the description:
- Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and The Aesthetic Society
- Member of the Orange County Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- MD and PhD from the University of Cambridge, plus a seven-year plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Dr. Agha has 20 years of experience in plastic and reconstructive surgery. His practice operates from a dedicated facility that houses its clinic, spa, and surgery center, which you can see on the Our Office page. As with any surgeon, we encourage patients to confirm these details through the public lookups above.
Five Minutes to Verify a Plastic Surgeon's Credentials
It takes about five minutes to verify a plastic surgeon's credentials, and those minutes can spare you a great deal of worry. Check the board, the license, the society membership, and the facility, then ask about privileges and experience.
If everything lines up, you can walk into your consultation focused on your goals instead of wondering about qualifications.
Ready to find out which procedure is right for you? Schedule a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Siamak Agha at The One Plastic Surgery Center in Newport Beach to discuss your goals and options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a plastic surgeon is board certified?
Search the surgeon's name on the American Board of Plastic Surgery website, which offers a free lookup. You can also confirm through ABMS Certification Matters. Both take less than a minute.
What's the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon?
A board-certified plastic surgeon has completed accredited plastic surgery residency training and is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. "Cosmetic surgeon" isn't a recognized specialty, and doctors from other fields can use the title with different training.
Can I see if a California doctor has been disciplined?
Yes. The Medical Board of California's free online lookup shows license status and public actions such as probation, suspension, revocation, and formal accusations. It also lists certain malpractice judgments and loss of hospital privileges.
Why does surgical facility accreditation matter?
Accredited facilities have passed an independent review of equipment, staffing, and emergency protocols. California also restricts deeper anesthesia outside hospitals to qualifying settings, such as accredited outpatient facilities.
Does ASPS membership mean a surgeon is board certified?
ASPS requires its members to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. It's still worth confirming certification directly on the ABPS website.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Results and candidacy vary by patient, and a consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon is required to determine whether any procedure is right for you.
