<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-07-03</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001028087</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN DENTAL PARTNERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ADPI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216421</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KELLY JAMES TIMOTHY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Non-qualified option to buy</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>8.98</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-03</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>9000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2004-07-03</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2013-07-03</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>9000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>48650</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Option vests with respect to 25% of shares subject to option on each of first four anniversaries of grant date.  Total number of derivative securities beneficially owned (48,650) reflects all options held by Reporting Person pursuant to employee benefit plans of issuer.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Ian H. Brock, Attorney-in-Fact and Agent</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


