2026 NPPES data Specialist NPI 1396705034 M.D.
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HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.

Specialist in NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina. CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System profile including specialty classification, practice address, and Medicare prescribing data when reported.

Federal data — no proprietary rating. PlainDoctor publishes the actual CMS NPPES and Medicare records — NPI registration, specialty, practice location, and prescribing data — without a composite score or editorial opinion on top. Every field traces to a federal source.
Prescribing volume
5K
Medicare Part D claims · 292 beneficiaries · Specialist avg: 1K
Generic prescribing
86%
generic claims · 14% brand-name · higher generic rates reduce patient out-of-pocket costs
Industry payments
$669.86
22 payments · CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act)
What the federal data reveals: HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. is a Specialist ([object Object]) practicing in NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina with a Medicare Part D prescribing footprint of 5K claims across 292 beneficiaries — 14% brand-name prescribing . Industry payments of $669.86 across 22 transactions are disclosed under CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act).

What stands out: HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. filed 4,810 Medicare Part D claims in 2023 across NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina. Every figure on this page comes straight from federal CMS records, with no proprietary rating applied.

HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. at a glance

Quality data not reported

NPI registry status

Active

Issued 03/25/2006

NPI 1396705034

Primary specialty

Specialist

High-volume

69,658 US NPIs in this specialty

Medicare Part D claims

4,810 226% vs specialty avg

2023 prescription claims

Specialty avg: 1,474

Specialty distribution in South Carolina

How Specialist compares to other specialties among South Carolina providers

South Carolina providers

Specialist share within South Carolina

1. Specialist42%2. Internal medicine21%3. Family medicine17%4. Surgical12%5. Pediatric8%
Specialist share within South Carolina

Specialty board-certification context

Estimated specialty board-certified rate — Specialist (ABMS / AOA reference)

Quality data not reported
Est. board-certified rate
78%
Specialist ABMS/AOA estimate

Est. board-certified rate (Specialist) — ABMS / AOA estimate

0%100%78%
Est. board-certified rate (Specialist) — ABMS / AOA estimate

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scores providers 0–100 across four performance categories: Quality, Cost, Promoting Interoperability, and Improvement Activities, weighted under 42 CFR §414.1380. Reporting is voluntary for many small practices, so absence of a MIPS score is not a quality signal.

Board certification through an ABMS or AOA member board signals voluntary post-licensure examination plus continuous Maintenance of Certification cycles. Verify any individual provider's status through certificationmatters.org (ABMS) or osteopathic.org (AOA).

HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. is a Specialist provider practicing in NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina, according to the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Credentials: M.D.. NPI: 1396705034. This profile includes practice location, specialty classification, and organizational affiliations from the CMS provider registry. Provider information is self-reported to CMS and updated monthly.

HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. appears in the CMS NPPES registry as a Specialist provider holding M.D. credentials at 8761 DORCHESTER RD STE 100, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC, 29420, with a listed phone of (843) 767-3323. NPI 1396705034 was issued on 03/25/2006. Because NPPES data is self-reported by the provider and refreshed monthly, the address, phone, and specialty reflect what DAWSON most recently submitted to CMS rather than a vetted directory listing, which is why patients should always confirm the practice is still at this location before scheduling.

Medicare Part D records for calendar year 2023 show 4,810 prescription claims written by this provider, covering 292 Medicare beneficiaries and totaling roughly $584K in drug spend, split 14% brand-name and 86% generic by claim count, with an opioid prescribing rate of 3.2%. These figures capture only Medicare Part D — commercial insurance, Medicaid, and cash-pay prescriptions are not included, and any drug-beneficiary cell under 11 is suppressed by CMS for patient privacy.

Specialist is a high-volume specialty nationwide, with 69,658 enrolled providers across 55 states and an average of 1,474 Part D claims per prescriber, so the context for interpreting these metrics differs meaningfully from a primary-care baseline. Important: PlainDoctor is a directory of publicly available government data, not medical advice, a malpractice database, or a quality rating. Inclusion here does not imply a recommendation, and absence of complaints or sanctions on this page does not mean none exist — always verify credentials through the NPPES NPI Registry, your state medical board, and the ABMS or AOA before making healthcare decisions.

Practice Address

8761 DORCHESTER RD STE 100
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29420

Provider Details

NPI 1396705034
Specialty Specialist
Credentials M.D.
Gender Female
NPI Issued 03/25/2006

Hospital and facility affiliations

Facilities where HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. bills Medicare from. Star ratings (1-5) are CMS Hospital Compare's "Hospital overall rating" — a composite of mortality, readmission, patient experience, safety, timely care, and efficient use of medical imaging measures. Source: CMS Care Compare.

LIBERTY DOCTORS LLC
CHARLESTON, SC

Affiliations sourced from CMS Doctors and Clinicians National Downloadable File; hospital ratings from CMS Hospital General Information dataset (cross-referenced by facility name + state).

Industry payments received (2024) — CMS Open Payments transparency data

The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act (part of the Affordable Care Act) requires drug and medical-device manufacturers + group purchasing organizations to publicly report payments and other transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals. The data below covers 2024 for HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.. Source: openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.

Total received

$670

Largest payer

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP

Most common payment type

Food and Beverage

Industry payments are not necessarily indicators of bias — they include research funding, consulting fees for evidence-based work, royalties for inventions, food at conferences, and similar items. The disclosure exists for transparency. Read our methodology for how we interpret this data.

Brand vs generic prescribing mix · Typical

HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. — brand share 14.0%
Specialty average (est.)

14% brand-name claims vs 86% generic, on 4,810 2023 Medicare Part D claims.

The federal Medicare Part D Generic Dispensing Rate national benchmark sits near 90% generic / 10% brand for primary-care prescribers, per CMS Office of the Actuary 2024 estimates. Higher brand share is common in specialty prescribing where generic equivalents are not available.

Medicare Part D Prescribing Data

CMS Medicare Part D prescriber-level data for calendar year 2023.

4,810
Total Claims
$584K
Total Drug Cost
292
Medicare Beneficiaries

Prescribing Breakdown

30-Day Fills
10,583
Total Day Supply
308,228
Brand vs Generic
14% brand / 86% generic
Brand Drug Cost
$499K
Generic Drug Cost
$83K
Opioid Claims
154 (3.2% rate)
Antibiotic Claims
143

Patient Demographics

Average Patient Age
70.9 years
Avg HCC Risk Score
1.32
Gender Split
68% female / 32% male
Age Distribution
<65: 40, 65-74: 164, 75-84: 68, 85+: 20

Top Prescribed Drugs (Medicare Part D)

Top drugs by claim count for calendar year 2023. Based on Medicare Part D data only.

Drug Claims
Atorvastatin Calcium
338
Amlodipine Besylate
234
Omeprazole
164
Lisinopril
126
Losartan Potassium
120
Gabapentin
102
Albuterol Sulfate Hfa
Albuterol Sulfate
98
Metformin Hcl
96
Prednisone
94
Valsartan
93

* Counts below 11 are suppressed by CMS for patient privacy. Generic names shown where available from CMS Part D data.

Specialist Overview

How HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. fits within the Specialist landscape nationally.

69,658
Specialist Providers in US
55
States with Specialist
1,474
Avg Claims per Provider

HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s 4,810 claims are above the specialty average of 1,474.

Nearby Specialist Providers in South Carolina

Other clinicians with the same primary specialty enrolled in South Carolina, drawn from the same CMS NPPES roster as DAWSON.

Compare Specialist nationally: see state-by-state distribution →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s specialty?
HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. specializes in Specialist and practices in NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina. Credentials: M.D..
How much does HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. prescribe under Medicare Part D?
In 2023, HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. wrote 4,810 Medicare Part D claims totaling $584K in drug costs for 292 beneficiaries.
Where is HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. located?
HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. is located at 8761 DORCHESTER RD STE 100, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC, 29420. Phone: (843) 767-3323.
What is HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s NPI number?
HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s National Provider Identifier (NPI) is 1396705034, issued on 03/25/2006.
Does HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. prescribe more brand-name or generic drugs?
HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s prescribing is 14% brand-name and 86% generic drugs by claim count, with $499K in brand drug costs.
Does HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. prescribe opioids?
Yes, HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. had 154 opioid claims in 2023 with an opioid prescribing rate of 3.2%.
How many Specialist providers are there in the US?
There are 69,658 Specialist providers across 55 states in the US. The average Specialist provider writes 1,474 Medicare Part D claims per year.
What drugs does HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. prescribe most often?
Based on 2023 Medicare Part D data, HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s most frequently prescribed drugs include Atorvastatin Calcium, Amlodipine Besylate, Omeprazole. This reflects Medicare Part D prescriptions only and does not include commercial insurance or other payer types.
Does HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. accept Medicare?
HEATHER DAWSON, M.D. appears in CMS Medicare data with 4,810 Part D claims and 292 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm current Medicare enrollment and accepted plans.
How can I verify HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s credentials?
HEATHER DAWSON, M.D.'s NPI is 1396705034 with credentials M.D.. You can verify this through the NPPES NPI Registry, check state medical board records, and confirm board certification through the ABMS or AOA.

Data Sources

Provider Directory
CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), download.cms.gov/nppes, updated monthly. Contains NPI, specialty, credentials, and practice location.
Specialty Classification
NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy (nucc.org), the industry standard for classifying provider specialties in Medicare and Medicaid billing.
Prescribing Data
CMS Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File (2023). Includes claims, drug costs, beneficiaries, and opioid prescribing rates.
Limitations
Provider data is self-reported to CMS. Prescribing data reflects Medicare Part D only and does not include commercial insurance, Medicaid, or cash prescriptions. Claims below 11 beneficiaries are suppressed by CMS for privacy.

See our complete data methodology for details on how we collect and process government data.

Data as of April 2026 (NPPES) / 2023 (Medicare Part D). Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Disclaimer: Data from CMS NPPES and Medicare Part D. PlainDoctor does not rate or rank providers. Provider information is self-reported and may not be current. Always verify information directly with the provider. About · Methodology