How to check that a doctor or dentist is registered in Kenya

In Kenya, every medical doctor, dentist and health facility must be registered and hold a current licence from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC). The council is the regulator created under the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act (Chapter 253 of the Laws of Kenya). Checking a licence takes a minute, and it is one of the most useful things you can do before trusting someone with your health.

This guide shows the two ways to check, explains what the results mean, and sets out what the law says about people who practise without a licence.

Option 1: send an SMS to 20547

KMPDC runs an SMS verification service on the short code 20547. According to Kenyans.co.ke and Citizen Digital, which both reported the council's instructions, the format is:

• To check a practitioner (doctor, dentist or community oral health officer): text P# followed by the person's full name or registration number. For example, P#Jane Wanjiru Mwangi.
• To check a health facility: text H# followed by the facility's name or registration number.

The reply tells you whether the person or facility is registered and licensed. If a name is common, use the registration number instead; licensed practitioners should be able to tell you theirs without hesitation.

Option 2: search the online register

KMPDC publishes its licensed registers at registers.kmpdc.go.ke, with separate lists for medical practitioners, dental practitioners, community oral health officers, foreign practitioners, private, public and faith-based health facilities, interns and ambulance providers. The Kenya Times reported the full set of register links when the council issued a public notice in June 2026. You can also start from the council's homepage at kmpdc.go.ke, which offers a practitioner search and a facility search.

A 2026 report by Streamline Feed advised typing the address carefully, because fraudulent sites imitating the register have appeared. Search by full official name or registration number for individuals, and by exact name for facilities.

What the results mean

Registration and licensing are two different things. Registration means the person qualified and was entered on the roll. A licence is renewed every year; KMPDC's website notes that the 2027 practice licence is due by 30 November 2026, with penalties for late renewal. A practitioner whose status shows as active for the current year holds a valid licence. If the record shows an old year, a lapsed status, or no record at all, ask the clinic to explain before going ahead.

The register entry also shows the practitioner's qualifications and specialty. That matters for specialist treatment: a general dentist can legitimately do a great deal, but if a clinic advertises a "specialist orthodontist" or "oral surgeon", the register should back that up.

According to Streamline Feed, the 2026 register has also been shared with the Social Health Authority, so only practitioners on it can use SHA's Practice 360 system to process pre-authorisations and claims. If a facility says it accepts SHA, it should be on the register.

Why the licence on the wall is not enough

In September 2026 The Standard reported a KMPDC regulatory notice warning that a displayed licence does not prove the named practitioner actually supervises care at a clinic. The council told Kenya Dental Association members not to let facilities use their credentials without genuinely taking part in treatment. So ask who will actually treat you, and check that person.

What the law says

Citizen Digital reported in January 2025 that under Section 22 of Chapter 253 it is an offence to use the title "doctor" or "Dr (Medical/Dental)" or to claim to offer medical or dental services without being registered and licensed, with a fine of up to KES 5 million, up to five years in prison, or both. Operating an unregistered health facility carries a fine of up to KES 10 million or up to five years, according to a KMPDC notice reported by The Eastleigh Voice in November 2024. Prosecutions do happen: Kenyans.co.ke noted that in November 2022 a man who had run an illegal clinic without qualifications was sentenced to more than 29 years in prison.

Red flags

• The practitioner or clinic cannot or will not give a registration number.
• The name on the register does not match the person treating you.
• Treatment is offered at an unregistered outlet rather than at a registered facility. KMPDC has specifically warned about braces and teeth whitening offered this way.
• Guarantees of results, or pressure to decide on the spot.
• Pressure to pay a large amount in cash before any examination.

How to report a concern

If a check returns no record, or you believe someone is practising illegally, you can report it to KMPDC through the contact details on kmpdc.go.ke. Keep any receipts, messages and photographs.

When to see a doctor or dentist

Verification should never delay urgent care. If you have severe pain, uncontrolled bleeding, facial swelling spreading to the eye or neck, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or an injury to the jaw, go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 999 or 112. Check the facility's registration afterwards if you need to.

HealthNaro shows KMPDC licence details on practitioner and clinic profiles where we have verified them, but the register and the SMS line remain the authoritative sources.

This guide is general information and not legal or medical advice. Register formats and penalties can change; the KMPDC website is the authoritative source.