2026 Don Mayes Leadership Award
Kristen Smith, United Concordia Dental
NADP will recognize Kristen Smith, vice president of Strategic Network Management at United Concordia Dental, with the Don Mayes Leadership Award for her outstanding volunteer leadership and contributions to the dental benefits industry. The Award will be presented during the CONVERGE Opening General Session on Sept. 30 at the J.W. Marriott Indianapolis.
As chair of NADP’s Operations WorkGroup, Smith has helped guide the development and enhancement of several members-only resources designed to streamline operations and reduce administrative burdens. Under her leadership, the workgroup advanced resources on delegated credentialing, network leasing best practices and provider directory validation, while also presenting educational webinars and CONVERGE sessions on topics including network leasing, the Compact and provider directories.
Smith also has worked closely with dental support organization members to identify practical solutions to shared challenges. Since 2024, she has served as a subject matter expert and liaison to the DSO Advisory Council, strengthening collaboration between NADP volunteers and DSO members. Member engagement in the Operations WorkGroup has grown significantly during her tenure, making it one of NADP’s largest volunteer groups.
In addition to her leadership of the Operations WorkGroup, Smith has contributed to NADP through service on the Government Relations WorkGroup from 2020-2024 and the board-appointed Network Leasing Task Force in 2022.
At United Concordia Dental, Smith leads the provider relations teams and provides strategic direction for all network management activities. She is also responsible for the integration and alignment of United Concordia’s strategic objectives across various dental service organization and business network relationships. Her professional accomplishments include implementing systems that improved provider data accuracy and turnaround times, supporting compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards, and advancing automation efforts that transformed manual processes.
The Don Mayes Leadership Award honors individuals whose service, expertise and commitment have made a meaningful impact on NADP and the dental benefits community. Smith’s collaborative approach and focus on practical member resources reflect the spirit of the award and NADP’s mission to support the success of dental plans and the people they serve.
Join us in congratulating Kristen Smith, the NADP 2026 Don Mayes Leadership Award recipient!