# American Dental Association

American Dental Association is a Foundation based in Chicago, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Chicago, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 211 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
- **Founded:** 1859
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** ada.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/americandentalassociation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The American Dental Association is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1859 in Chicago, Illinois. It advocates for oral health and supports dental professionals. The organization offers services such as continuing education, clinical guidelines, and resources for dental practice management and insurance.

## Sectors

- Healthcare Services
- Real Estate

## Offices

- Washington, DC, United States

## People

- Raymond A. Cohlmia — Executive Director
- Brett Kessler — President

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at the American Dental Association?

The ADA does not publicly name a single chief investment officer. Governance rests with the Board of Trustees and a finance committee that sets asset allocation and selects external investment managers. Day-to-day investment operations are managed by the association's financial staff under the Executive Director, currently Raymond A. Cohlmia.

### How does the ADA fund its investment portfolio?

The investment pool is funded by membership dues, publishing revenues from the Journal of the American Dental Association, and fees from business services like credentialing and continuing education. It operates as a long-term reserve supporting the association's operations rather than as a traditional grant-making endowment.

### What was the significance of the ADA's headquarters sale in 2022?

The sale of 211 East Chicago Avenue for $37.5 million monetized a century-old real estate asset and transitioned the association to a tenant in a reduced footprint. This unlocked capital for financial investments and reduced the concentration of net assets in a single commercial property, materially altering the portfolio's liquidity and risk profile (per Crain's Chicago Business, 2022).

### Does the ADA disclose its asset allocation or outside managers?

No. The ADA publishes audited financial statements showing aggregate net assets, but does not itemize specific allocations, external manager names, or fund commitments. Known investments are inferred from real estate transaction records and high-level balance sheet categories.

### How does the Washington D.C. office relate to the investment function?

The Washington office focuses entirely on federal lobbying, regulatory advocacy, and public policy related to oral health and dental practice — for example, shaping Medicaid dental benefits or influencing FDA regulations on dental materials. It consumes a significant portion of the operating budget that investment returns help sustain, but does not directly manage investments.

### Is the ADA a tax-exempt investor and what regulatory form does it file?

Yes. As a 501(c)(6) professional association, the ADA is tax-exempt and files IRS Form 990 annually. The Form 990 discloses total net assets, investment income, and related-party transactions, providing the primary public window into the association's financial position.

## Related profiles

- [iLink Systems](https://altss.com/profile/ilink-systems)
- [Fred Alger Management](https://altss.com/profile/fred-alger-management)

---

Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/american-dental-association

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology