The American Dental Association House of Delegates held elections for 2025-26 officers during ADA SmileCon™ 2026, which took place October 23-25 in Washington, D.C. AAO member Dr. Ben Youel was elected as second vice president of the ADA in a contested election.

Dr. Youel was a delegate to the ADA HOD from the Eighth District (Illinois). He served as a trustee in the Illinois State Dental Society prior to beginning his new role with the ADA. He begins his new position with a desire to bring strong leadership and strategic vision to the ADA for engagement of younger members.

“We have much to offer to younger dentists, including those who are employed and those who are practice owners,” he says. “I am eager to tackle the challenges of refining the ADA’s value proposition for new and younger members and working to remain relevant to them.

“The ADA is at an inflection point right now, with many members retiring over the next few years,” adds Dr. Youel. “I want to help ensure a strong future for the ADA and for dentists my age and younger. By deepening engagement at the student and early career levels, we can foster a lifelong connection to the ADA that is grounded in mentorship, advocacy and professional growth.”

As he begins his work with the ADA, Dr. Youel plans to continue volunteer service with organized orthodontics. In orthodontic practice in Grayslake, Illinois for the past six years, he serves on the Illinois Society of Orthodontists Board of Directors and has been active with AAO Advocacy. He is currently the Illinois Component Advocacy Liaison (CAL) in the AAO National Advocacy Network (NAN) and attended the AAO Professional Advocacy Conference in 2018.

Leadership Commitment Began in Dental School
Dr. Youel’s advancement to his current ADA office follows substantial past experience as a leader within the ADA. He has served on the organization’s Finance Committee, councils on Scientific Affairs and Membership, and on the New Dentist Committee. His interest in leadership in organized dentistry extends back even further, however — to his days as a dental student at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

As he pursued admission to dental school, Dr. Youel’s vision of dentistry was focused on the basics of dental care that he had experienced while growing up.

“When I started dental school it became apparent to me that I didn’t fully understand what I had signed up for,” he says. “I had never heard the term caries before. I couldn’t explain why you would ever want to put a crown on a tooth. I had not heard of many of the dental specialties.”

Concerned about his limited familiarity with the spectrum of dental care, Dr. Youel became active in the American Student Dental Association (ASDA), eventually becoming an ASDA trustee and vice president.

“Getting really involved in organized dentistry made me feel more confident in my career choice. It helped me understand the forces at play that would shape the rest of my professional life,” he says. “My parents were public school teachers. I didn’t have an example of what a great dental professional is like baked into my family. I found my dental role models and heroes by getting involved in organized dentistry.

“Over time, I was exposed to helpful information about running a practice, developing as a leader and much more,” adds Dr. Youel. “To this day, those benefits help me stay motivated to continue staying so involved.”

After completing dental school, Dr. Youel completed a hospital-based residency program at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, learning advanced surgical techniques and how to manage medically complex and special needs patients.

Dr. Youel then entered practice as a general dentist. He became an officer of the Chicago Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and served on the AGD Dental Practice Council.

Several years later, Dr. Youel returned to UIC as an orthodontic resident. He enjoyed the challenge of establishing both form and function and the discipline involved in treatment planning difficult cases. His interest in leadership continued as he was chosen to be president of his residency class.

Since entering orthodontic practice, he has become active in his local community as a volunteer coach of a local wrestling club. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Dr. Youel also provides free dental care each month at a clinic in the Chicagoland area. In his spare time, he enjoys running marathons and spending time with his family.

“Speaking with both ADA and AAO leaders at a breakfast during the ADA Annual Session really brought home to me how much stronger we are as a result of having many people working together and engaged with our organizations,” says Dr. Youel. “The more people we have on the same team, the stronger our collective voice will be.”