American Dental Association
The American Dental Association (ADA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1859, representing more than 159,000 U.S. dentists and serving as the developer of the HIPAA-mandated CDT code set and ADA Seal of Acceptance program. It operates a diversified portfolio spanning clinical guidelines, continuing education, JADA journal, data licensing, and advocacy for the U.S. dental profession.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1859
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What American Dental Association does
The American Dental Association (ADA), founded in 1859 and headquartered at 401 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago with additional staff in Washington D.C., is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership association representing more than 159,000 dentists — the majority of practicing dentists in the United States. The organization operates as the nation's largest dental association and serves as the principal advocate for oral health policy, professional standards, and clinical practice in the U.S. dental industry. ADA is governed by an elected President (currently Dr. Richard Rosato, effective October 2025) and Board of Trustees, with professional staff led by Executive Director Raymond A. Cohlmia, D.D.S.
ADA's core assets are standards-based and content-driven. It is the sole developer and annual maintainer of the Current Dental Terminology (CDT) code set — the HIPAA-mandated standard for electronic dental claims — and of the SNODENT diagnostic terminology system. Beyond codesets, ADA produces the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA, published for over 100 years), ADA News (reaching 120,000+ dentists), the Dental Sound Bites podcast, the ADA Morning Huddle newsletter, and 500+ hours of CERP-recognized continuing education. Its evidence-based clinical guidelines, ADA Seal of Acceptance product evaluation program, ADA Forsyth Institute research arm, and ADA Health Policy Institute collectively form a vertically integrated knowledge, standards, and research platform. Subsidiaries include the ADA Foundation (philanthropy, including the Give Kids A Smile program serving 10M+ children since 2003), ADA Forsyth Institute, and JADA.
ADA's revenue model is multi-stream and diversified. Primary streams include: (1) recurring membership dues from 159,000+ dentists; (2) one-time and recurring revenue from the ADA Store (CDT books, Coding Companion, Chairside Instructor, Toothflix videos, dental drug handbook); (3) continuing education subscriptions and course fees; (4) licensing royalties on CDT and SNODENT to practice management software vendors, payers, and publishers; (5) data monetization through licensing of dentist mailing/email lists to B2B buyers; (6) advertising and sponsorships in ADA News, JADA, and at the ADA Scientific Session; and (7) managed services revenue from the ADA Credentialing Service powered by CAQH. Distribution is primarily direct-to-member via ADA.org (1M+ monthly page views), the ADA Member App, ADA Store, and the annual Scientific Session conference. Enterprise-side distribution flows through the ADA Member Advantage endorsement program (now including Weave), database licensing, and standards licensing to software vendors.
American Dental Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Dental Association
- Legal name
- American Dental Association
- Website
- https://ada.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1859
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- The American Dental Association (ADA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1859, representing more than 159,000 U.S. dentists and serving as the developer of the HIPAA-mandated CDT code set and ADA Seal of Acceptance program. It operates a diversified portfolio spanning clinical guidelines, continuing education, JADA journal, data licensing, and advocacy for the U.S. dental profession.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Dental Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Dental Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Membership/Subscription & Direct-Pay General Dentistry Practices (HLABAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- General Dentistry Group Practices (HLABAKAB)
Keywords
Where American Dental Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
American Dental Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from 159,000+ dentist members providing recurring revenue stream.
- Publications and Products: CDT books, coding companions, clinical dentistry resources, staff training materials, patient education brochures, Toothflix videos, and The Chairside Instructor sold through ADA Store.
- Continuing Education: 500+ hours of online courses, live webinars, and workshops offered to dental professionals for CE credits.
- Licensing Revenue: CDT codes and SNODENT terminology licensed for commercial use in practice management software, third-party payer software, publications, and seminars.
- Dentist Database Licensing: ADA licenses mailing lists, email lists, and non-contact lists of dentists to businesses for targeted marketing, with variables including specialty, occupation, practice type, gender, and membership type.
- Advertising and Sponsorships: ADA News and JADA generate tens of millions of impressions per year through digital and print advertising. Sponsorship opportunities at ADA Scientific Session events.
- ADA Credentialing Service: Digital credentialing service powered by CAQH for dental practices.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Patient Service Coordinator Program - $999 for ADA members |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
American Dental Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The American Dental Association is a nonprofit professional membership association serving 159,000+ U.S. dentists through membership subscriptions. It develops and maintains the HIPAA-mandated CDT (Current Dental Terminology) dental procedure code set, administers the ADA Seal of Acceptance product evaluation program, provides 500+ hours of continuing education, publishes JADA and ADA News, advocates before Congress and federal agencies, and licenses its dentist database and terminology standards to third-party businesses.
Product overview
The American Dental Association offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services organized around its core mission of advancing oral health. The flagship offerings include CDT (Current Dental Terminology), the HIPAA-mandated annual code set for dental procedures, and the ADA Seal of Acceptance program for evaluating oral health products. The ADA Health Policy Institute provides research and consulting on dental industry trends. Supporting products include Continuing Education (500+ hours), the JADA clinical journal, Dental Sound Bites podcast, ADA Morning Huddle news publications, patient education materials (brochures, Chairside Instructor, Toothflix videos), the Dentist Database for marketing, and the Credentialing Service. The ADA also operates the Design Innovation Awards program and sponsors the Give Kids A Smile community initiative. The organization provides member resources through its mobile app and maintains the ADA Forsyth Institute for research and innovation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ADA Seal of Acceptance: Voluntary program evaluating oral health products for safety and effectiveness
- JADA (Journal of the American Dental Association)
- Dental Sound Bites
- Give Kids A Smile
- ADA Forsyth Institute
- CDT (Current Dental Terminology)
- ADA Member Advantage
- ADA Health Policy Institute
- ADA Credentialing Service
Products and services
- CDT (Current Dental Terminology) The official HIPAA-mandated annual code set for dental procedures, including the CDT book, e-book, app, and Coding Companion training guide with clinical scenarios, used by dental practices and software vendors for compliant billing.
- ADA Seal of Acceptance
Quantifiable outcome
- Give Kids A Smile Program reached over 10 million underserved children since 2003
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use American Dental Association
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
American Dental Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
American Dental Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Weave (NYSE: WEAV)coreWeave was selected as the exclusive patient engagement platform endorsed for ADA's 159,000 dentist members. The endorsement follows a rigorous vetting process by ADA Member Advantage evaluating the effectiveness and value of Weave's AI-powered solutions. ADA members are eligible for discounts and enhanced training on Weave's platform which includes AI-powered receptionist, customized phone system, and insurance eligibility automation.
- Vista CovacoreVista Cova, a consulting firm specializing in nonprofit and association management, was selected by the ADA to conduct a comprehensive governance and organizational health evaluation. The evaluation was mandated by ADA Resolution 56H-2002 and expanded by Resolution 521H-2025, with the timeline extended to January 2027 to allow for greater stakeholder engagement.
- ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI)coreThe ADA and the ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI) announced the formation of ADA Corporate Partners, a collaboration involving key industry leaders in dentistry to promote research and innovation in oral health. The initiative aims to create opportunities for companies across various sectors of the dental industry and will hold its inaugural meeting in January 2025.
- ADA Governance and Organizational WorkgroupcoreA Governance and Organizational Workgroup will oversee the Vista Cova evaluation process and provide feedback as it progresses toward a final report expected to be presented to the House of Delegates in 2027. The workgroup ensures stakeholder engagement including a town hall at the 2026 House of Delegates.
- Henry Schein OneminorADA President Richard Rosato participated in a panel discussion on strategic collaboration at the 2026 Dental VIP Summit alongside industry leaders from Henry Schein One, Women in DSO, VistaApex Solutions, DENTALEZ, and Delta Dental of Minnesota as part of the Oral Health 2050 Initiative.
- Delta Dental of MinnesotaminorADA President participated in strategic collaboration panel at the 2026 Dental VIP Summit discussing the Oral Health 2050 Initiative to create a shared vision for the next 25 years of oral health care.
- ADA Corporate Partners (Initial Industry Leaders)coreADA Corporate Partners program involves key industry leaders collaborating to promote research and innovation in oral health. The initiative creates opportunities for companies across various sectors of the dental industry with an inaugural meeting held in January 2025.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
American Dental Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- American Medical Association (AMA): The AMA is the largest U.S. professional membership association for physicians and operates an analogous model of membership dues, CPT coding standards, advocacy, publications (JAMA), and continuing education, making it the closest structural peer to the ADA in the medical space.
Direct peers
- American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA): ADHA is the primary professional membership association for dental hygienists, directly mirroring ADA's structure of membership dues, advocacy, publications, and continuing education, but serving the allied dental workforce rather than dentists.
- American Association of Orthodontists (AAO): AAO represents orthodontic specialists with a similar professional association model including advocacy, member benefits, publications, and continuing education; serves as a specialty counterpart within dentistry to which the ADA must maintain strong relations.
- Academy of General Dentistry (AGD): AGD is a competing professional association for general dentists offering continuing education, fellowship credentials (FAGD/MAGD), and member services; competes for the same dentist member base as the ADA with a CE-focused value proposition.
- American Dental Education Association (ADEA): ADEA represents academic dental institutions and educators with membership, advocacy, and publications; comparable to ADA in serving dental education stakeholders and developing dental workforce policy.
Emerging players
- American Pharmacists Association (APhA): APhA is another large healthcare professional membership association with advocacy, publications, and CE offerings, providing a comparable nonprofit professional association model outside of dentistry.
- American Hospital Association (AHA): AHA represents hospitals and healthcare systems with advocacy and policy research; comparable to ADA in its advocacy infrastructure and policy institute model (similar to ADA's Health Policy Institute).
Others
- American Bar Association (ABA): ABA is one of the largest U.S. professional membership associations, offering a comparable model of membership dues, ethics standards, publications, and continuing education; useful benchmark for nonprofit association scale and governance.
Regional players
- American Optometric Association (AOA): AOA is the professional membership association for optometrists and parallels ADA's structure with membership, advocacy, CE, publications, and a federal advocacy presence, but serves a different healthcare specialty.
- Canadian Dental Association (CDA): CDA is the national professional membership association for Canadian dentists and mirrors ADA's structure of membership dues, advocacy, publications (JCDA), and clinical guidelines, but serves Canada rather than the U.S. market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
American Dental Association social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Dental Association compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
American Dental Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Dental Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
American Dental Association subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
American Dental Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
American Dental Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about American Dental Association
What does American Dental Association do?
The American Dental Association is a nonprofit professional membership association serving 159,000+ U.S. dentists through membership subscriptions. It develops and maintains the HIPAA-mandated CDT (Current Dental Terminology) dental procedure code set, administers the ADA Seal of Acceptance product evaluation program, provides 500+ hours of continuing education, publishes JADA and ADA News, advocates before Congress and federal agencies, and licenses its dentist database and terminology standards to third-party businesses.
Is American Dental Association a public or private company?
American Dental Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was American Dental Association founded?
American Dental Association was founded in 1859. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is American Dental Association based?
American Dental Association is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Dental Association make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are publications and Products, continuing Education, licensing Revenue, dentist Database Licensing, advertising and Sponsorships and ADA Credentialing Service.
Who are American Dental Association's main competitors?
American Medical Association (AMA) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA), American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and American Dental Education Association (ADEA). Emerging players are American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and American Hospital Association (AHA). American Bar Association (ABA) is listed as an others. Regional players are American Optometric Association (AOA) and Canadian Dental Association (CDA).
Does American Dental Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Dental Association.
What industry is American Dental Association in?
American Dental Association's product category is Professional Dental Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLABAAAI, Membership/Subscription & Direct-Pay General Dentistry Practices, with a secondary code of HLABAKAB, General Dentistry Group Practices. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.