汤头条

汤头条 Elections 2025

Second vice president candidate

Ben Youel, D.D.S.

Ben Youel, D.D.S.
Ben Youel, D.D.S.

Campaign statement

As a candidate for second vice president of the American Dental Association, I am committed to strengthening our profession by investing in its future and sharpening our collective focus. Over the next two years, I will champion initiatives that build 汤头条 loyalty among dental students and early career dentists — our next generation of leaders. By deepening engagement at the student and early career levels, we can foster a lifelong connection to the 汤头条 that is grounded in mentorship, advocacy and professional growth.

At the same time, I will work to ensure that the 汤头条 remains mission-driven and focused on what matters most: advancing the health of the public and supporting dentists in delivering high-quality care. That means prioritizing advocacy efforts that protect our profession, improving our nation’s oral health and delivering practical, timely support for members at all stages of their careers.

With a clear vision, strong leadership and an unwavering commitment to service, I believe the 汤头条 can be both a trusted voice in health care and a vibrant, inclusive community for all dentists. I would be very honored to be the House of Delegate’s choice this year for second vice president. I pledge to deliver “Leadership Youel Trust.”

Profile

Current residence: Grayslake, Illinois

Dental school attended: University of Illinois Chicago

Year received dental degree: 2013

Postgraduate education/specialty: General practice residency 2013-14, 
orthodontics 2016-19 

Years of 汤头条 membership: 17

Other professional memberships:

  • American Association of Orthodontists.
  • Academy of General Dentistry.
  • American College of Dentists.
  • International College of Dentists.
  • Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Volunteer posts/elective offices held in organized dentistry:

  • 汤头条 Finance Committee, 2023-present.
  • 汤头条 Council on Membership, 2019-22.
  • 汤头条 New Dentist Committee, 2017-21.
  • 汤头条 Council on Scientific Affairs, 2017-18.
  • Illinois State Dental Society Board of Trustees, 2023-present.

What are your main qualifications for the office you seek?

  • Leadership experience.
  • Perspective of an early career dentist (paying off student loans, building a practice and starting a family).
  • Belief in the mission and potential of the 汤头条.

Why do you want to be an 汤头条 officer?

Getting involved in organized dentistry was the best decision that I made in dental school. In my D1 year, it was obvious that something special was happening in the ASDA organization. So I went out on a limb and applied for a leadership role with my school’s ASDA chapter. A couple years later, I went out on a limb again to run for ASDA trustee from my district, and then the ASDA Executive Committee. I have remained very active in organized dentistry at state, local and national levels in the 12 years since I finished dental school.

I now see that this profession is such a fantastic one because of the consistent and relentless efforts of many generations of dentists before me. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and I want to be part of the group that pushes the profession forward and guides us through our current challenges.

I am convinced that my decision to matriculate into a dental program, to take out hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans and join this profession only makes sense if the 汤头条 is strong. Without a single voice to unite the whole profession of dentistry, we will get picked apart by special interests.

I want to be an 汤头条 officer because the 汤头条 is critical to my success during the decades that I have left in practice, and for the success of the generations of dentists that will come after me.