Board certification is easy to name and harder to read. This page sets out what it measures, so a surgeon's credentials can be weighed alongside a quote.
What certification measures
Cleveland Clinic notes that after their residency training, plastic surgeons may choose to complete a rigorous exam to become board certified. The credential is a choice made after training, which is why it is worth asking about directly.
The Cleveland Clinic article on plastic surgeons covers certification alongside what these surgeons do.
Who grants it
Cleveland Clinic adds that the American Board of Plastic Surgery is one organization that grants board certification. Naming the board matters, because "certified" on its own does not say who granted it.
Staying certified
Cleveland Clinic states that, through a continuous certification program, plastic surgeons maintain board certification. The American Board of Plastic Surgery site is the organization's own home page for the public.
Where credentials meet price
Credential questions belong in the same conversation as price questions. A quote tells you what a procedure costs, and a credential tells you who is attached to it. Neither one is firm until you have seen it written down.
What to confirm in writing
Ask the surgeon which board granted the certification and the exact name it is listed under. Then check it yourself with the board's surgeon search. Ask the quote to state whether its figure is a ballpark range or a firm quote.