Complete cleft care
As well as life-changing cleft surgery, Operation Smile provides comprehensive cleft care including nutrition dentistry, orthodontics, speech therapy and psychosocial care.
Lasting health and happiness
Cleft surgery can transform a child’s life in as little as 45 minutes – but there is often a whole package of specialist cleft care needed to see our patients through childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. This comprehensive approach to care gives our patients the best chance of living happy, healthy lives – because it increases their likelihood of attending school and pursuing the bright futures they deserve.
Comprehensive cleft care
It’s more than just cleft surgery
A child with a cleft lip or cleft palate may need the help of many specialists during their journey to recovery. From nutrition, dentistry, orthodontics, speech therapy and psychosocial care – our volunteers from across world are all professionally certified and dedicated to providing comprehensive care for our patients and their families, every step of the way.
Our cleft care
Surgery
Timely cleft surgery is essential to a child’s long-term health and well-being.
Nutrition
Children with cleft conditions often struggle to eat and can become malnourished. We give them nutritional support to help them get strong enough for surgery.
Speech
A cleft lip or cleft palate makes it difficult to speak and eat. Speech and language therapists help our patients speak more clearly and teach parents feeding techniques for their babies.
Dentistry
Dentists help with specialised procedures and create devices that improve patients’ surgical results and overall health.
Orthodontics
Orthodontic care is also crucial to a patients’ healthy oral development and personal confidence.
Psychosocial care
Certified psychosocial care providers support patients and their families throughout their treatment.