Sara Garcia, DDS
Sara Garcia, DDS is a provider specialising in Dentist in Tucson, AZ, registered under NPI 1972801678. NPPES records them as a sole proprietor, meaning the practice is not incorporated as a separate legal entity.
Getting there
The practice address on file is 3971 E PARADISE FALLS DR, Tucson, AZ 85712. We have not yet mapped what surrounds this office — parking, transit, and nearby pharmacies are added as our data collection reaches each location.
Credentials and Medicare
| Licence | State | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| D008178 | AZ | Dentist primary |
| 60226 | CA | Dentist |
Licences are recorded in 2 states: AZ, CA. Providers licensed in several states often practise near a state border or deliver telehealth across state lines.
- Status
- Approved
- Provider type
- Order And Referring Only - Dentist
- PAC ID
- 4880918325
Medicare enrolment is recorded as approved under the provider type Order And Referring Only - Dentist. This means the provider is enrolled to bill Medicare, though it does not tell you whether they are currently accepting new Medicare patients. Call the office to confirm.
Licensed in 2 states
This provider holds licences in 2 states: Arizona and California. The practice address on file is in Tucson, AZ, but a licence in another state usually means they see patients there too — either at a second location or by telehealth. If the address above is far from you, it is worth calling to ask whether they practise closer to where you live.
Licence numbers are self-reported to NPPES at registration. They do not confirm a licence is currently active, in good standing, or valid for the specialty shown — only the state board can tell you that, which is why we link to each one.
What Dentist covers
A dentist is a person qualified by a doctorate in dental surgery (D.D.S.) or dental medicine (D.M.D.), licensed by the state to practice dentistry, and practicing within the scope of that license. There is no difference between the two degrees: dentists who have a DMD or DDS have the same education. Universities have the prerogative to determine what degree is awarded. Both degrees use the same curriculum requirements set by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation. Generally, three or more years of undergraduate education plus four years of dental school is required to graduate and become a general dentist. State licensing boards accept either degree as equivalent, and both degrees allow licensed individuals to practice the same scope of general dentistry. Additional post-graduate training is required to become a dental specialist. NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy, code 122300000X
All registered taxonomy codes
This provider registers 2 taxonomy codes. The primary code is what appears on most claims; the others record additional recognised specialties.
| Code | Specialty | Licence | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 122300000X | Dentist | D008178 | AZ | primary |
| 122300000X | Dentist | 60226 | CA |
The taxonomy records how the provider classifies their own practice. It does not confirm which conditions they currently treat, whether they are accepting new patients, or which insurance they take — call the office for that.
Full NPPES record
An NPI-1 identifies a single person. It stays with the clinician for life, even if they move practice or change state, which is why the address on file can lag behind where they actually work today.
| NPI | 1972801678 valid check digit |
|---|---|
| Entity type | Individual (NPI-1) |
| Enumeration date | Mar 3, 2011 |
| Last updated | Apr 19, 2019 |
| Status | Active |
| Sole proprietor | Yes |
| Credential | DDS |
| Practice address |
3971 E PARADISE FALLS DR Tucson, AZ 85712 (520) 296-5801 Fax (520) 296-7554 |
| Mailing address |
3257 N MEADOW MINE PL Tucson, AZ 85745 |
Number check
How the check works, step by step
Every NPI carries a Luhn check digit — the same scheme used on credit cards. CMS prefixes the number with 80840 before computing it, which marks it as a US health identifier.
| Digit | 8 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doubled? | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 | — | ×2 |
| Value | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
Sum = 62 · next multiple of 10 = 70 · check digit = 8 · actual last digit = 8
A valid check digit only means the number is well-formed. It does not mean the provider is licensed, active, or in good standing — those are separate questions answered by the sections above.