This federal agency provides information on choosing health care plans and getting safer care.

Both of these organizations of dentists allow the public to search their membership directories by name or location. In addition, one may search the ADA directory by specialty.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation regulates numerous medical professionals. Use the License Lookup to see the current license status of a doctor, dentist, clinical psychologist, etc., including information about any disciplinary actions. Use Physician Profile Search to find information about a doctor’s education, participation in Medicare and Medicaid, and any disciplinary or legal actions.

Find information on diseases and health conditions, including symptoms, risk factors and information to help patients preparing to meet with a health care provider. Additional information includes descriptions, usage and side effects of drugs and supplements, as well as tips for healthy living. Articles are written by Mayo doctors and researchers.

Merck & Co., Inc., a pharmaceutical company, offers free online versions of several of its guides for both the general public and health care professionals. The most popular of these, The Merck Manual of Medical Information, is available in Chinese, Dutch, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish as well as in English.

This site, from the Federal Trade Commission, offers quick advice about medical services and products as well as sources for further information. The site provides help in identifying scams and fraud and tips for finding reliable health information online. Also available in Spanish.