World Dental Federation elects 2nd Korean president

A second Korean has been elected as the next president of the World Dental Federation (Federation Dentaire Internationale, or FDI).

The Korean Dental Association announced on Monday that FDI Finance Director Park Young-guk has been elected as the next FDI president. Park will serve as FDI president for a two-year term starting in September 2027.

Park ran unopposed as the sole candidate for the next president at the “2025 FDI World Dental Parliament” in Shanghai, China, on Sunday. He is the second Korean to be elected FDI President, following the late former President Yoon Heung-ryul, who served from 2003 to 2005.

“This is the first time there has been a single candidate for the next presidency. I deeply appreciate the trust and expectations placed on me by countries around the world,” Park said. “Upon taking office, my first priority will be to swiftly identify global agendas for human oral health and collaborate with organizations like the WHO. In particular, I will develop global agendas originating from Korea to ensure our country takes the lead on global issues.”

Born in 1956, Park graduated from Kyung Hee University's College of Dentistry. He has served as an exam director for the Korean Dental Association, Dean of Kyung Hee University's College of Dentistry, and Vice President for External Cooperation at Kyung Hee University.

The FDI is a global oral health organization with a 125-year history. It currently has 132 member countries and over one million dentist members.