<p>Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. With rising prevalence in countries such as Iran, assessing healthcare professionals’ knowledge of AD is essential. This study translated and adapted the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) into Persian and provided preliminary evidence of validity and reliability. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 304 healthcare professionals and students. The mean Persian version of the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS-P) score was 20.27 (standard deviation (SD) = 3.62; possible range 0–30). The ADKS-P was developed using forward–backward translation, expert review, and pilot testing. Content validity, item-level performance, internal consistency estimated with Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20), and two-week test–retest reliability were assessed. Known-groups validity was examined through education, occupation, and familiarity with dementia. All items met the critical Content Validity Ratio (CVR) threshold. Internal consistency was modest (KR-20 = 0.64), test–retest reliability was moderate (<i>r</i> = 0.53, <i>p</i> = 0.016), and several items showed weak discrimination (item–total <i>r</i> &lt; 0.20 for 15 items; item 24 <i>r</i> = − 0.05). Higher ADKS-P scores were associated with greater education, professional role, and dementia familiarity. The ADKS-P offers a preliminary, culturally adapted tool for group-level baseline knowledge assessment in Persian-speaking contexts. Further refinement and validation are recommended before broader application.</p><p>The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (IR.TUMS.MEDICINE.REC.1401.202).</p>