ADA names next executive director
Nader A. Nadershahi, D.D.S., M.B.A., Ed.D., is ADA senior vice president, former dean of Dugoni School of Dentistry
The American Dental Association has named Nader A. Nadershahi, D.D.S., M.B.A., Ed.D., as its next executive director, effective March 23. He will be the ADA’s 10th executive director since the position was first created in 1968.
Dr. Nadershahi is currently the ADA’s senior vice president of education and professional affairs. Prior to joining the ADA staff in June 2025, he served for nine years as dean of the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco. He will immediately begin onboarding for his new position.
“The American Dental Association is pleased to select Dr. Nadershahi as its next executive director,” said ADA President Richard J. Rosato, D.M.D. “His leadership style is defined by a profound commitment to mutual respect, attentive listening and collaborative decision-making, while his long-term outlook for the Association centers upon unifying generations to solve for today’s challenges while also planting seeds of opportunity for our future generations of dentists.”
At the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, Dr. Nadershahi oversaw nearly $100 million in operational, clinical and academic budgets with a consistent annual net reserve. He also led a team of more than 500 employees and 550 students and residents, raised significant donor contributions for fundraising campaigns, and steered various milestone projects, including the design and implementation of the school’s integrated curriculum and competencies.
“I am honored and humbled to serve as the ADA’s next executive director,” Dr. Nadershahi said. “The greatest institutions thrive not by the isolated brilliance of one mind, but by the unified heartbeat of its people moving forward together. Together, we will be good ancestors for future generations in our profession. I look forward to collaborating across our profession, shaping our future growth, building trust, and prioritizing organizational clarity, financial and cultural strength, measured outcomes and ADA member value.”
Dr. Nadershahi previously served as the chair of the board of the American Dental Education Association and in several leadership roles at the ADA and California Dental Association for more than 20 years. He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy.
Dr. Nadershahi has also owned and operated private general dental practices in San Rafael and San Anselmo, California. He has served as a board member of the Bay Area Council and San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and is the chair of the California Health Workforce Education and Training Council. The search process for the ADA’s next executive director began in 2025. The Association retained Russell Reynolds & Associates — a global leadership advisory firm with more than 50 years of experience — to conduct the search, with ongoing oversight from the Executive Director Search Committee, comprised of a diverse subset of ADA members from across the country.
Interim Executive Director Elizabeth Shapiro, D.D.S., J.D., has led ADA operations since the Board of Trustees named her to the position on Feb. 8, 2025. An ADA news release announcing Dr. Nadershahi as the next executive director stated the Board is “deeply grateful” to Dr. Shapiro for serving in the interim role and noted she will closely collaborate with Dr. Nadershahi for a smooth transition of duties. Dr. Shapiro will then resume her previous role as ADA chief of governance and strategy management.
“The ADA must lead the profession and oral health care by attracting the strongest providers, supporting education, setting policy and standards, integrating science and technology, advocating for policy expansions and reforms, and preparing ADA members for success,” Dr. Nadershahi said.
