Raymond Cohlmia, DDS, Named American Dental Association Executive Director

Raymond A. Cohlmia, DDS, has been selected by the Board of Trustees to serve as the executive director of the American Dental Association (ADA), effective Nov. 15. Cohlmia’s selection concludes a robust search process that began when the current executive director announced she would retire in 2021. DCohlmia will begin onboarding for his new position on Oct. 1.

Cohlmia joined the University of Oklahoma (OU) College of Dentistry faculty in 2009, serving in a variety of leadership positions. In 2011, he was named director of comprehensive care, and he served as assistant dean for patient care from 2013 until he was appointed dean in 2015. Prior to that, Cohlmia ran a successful private dental practice for 26 years.

“I am humbled and honored to be selected as the next executive director of the American Dental Association,” said Cohlmia.  “I have always believed that organized dentistry plays an integral role in the advancement of the profession, and to me, there is no better organization to advocate for oral health than the American Dental Association.”

An active leader in the dental community at the local, state and national levels, Cohlmia served on the ADA Board of Trustees from 2015-2019 and as president of his state dental association in 2001 and local dental society in 1997. He has led the ADA’s New Dentist Committee and Council on Membership, serving as chair in 1999 and 2007, respectively. Additional ADA appointments over the years include the Council on Annual Sessions, the Council on Dental Benefits, and the American Dental Political Action Committee. Dr. Cohlmia has also represented his district as a delegate to the ADA’s House of Delegates—the governing body that develops ADA policies.