Operation Smile FAQ

The following information is provided to help answer some of the most commonly asked questions.  If you need additional assistance, please submit your question to Donor Relations on our Contact Us page. This information is kept as current as possible and is updated regularly.

Jump to a Topic:

• Facts about Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
• Operation Smile Medical Programs
• Treating Clefts in the U.S.
• Financial Transparency
• Volunteering
• Student Programs
• Donor Services
• Smile Ambassadors
• Facts About Proposed Smile Train Merger

Facts about Cleft Lip and Palate

Nearly every 3 minutes a child somewhere in the world is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate. 1 in 10 children born with a cleft condition will die before they reach their first birthday.

Q. What is a cleft lip and cleft palate?

A. A cleft is an opening in the lip, the roof of the mouth or the soft tissue in the back of the mouth. A cleft lip may be accompanied by an opening in the bones of the upper jaw and/or the upper gum. A cleft palate occurs when the two sides of a palate do not join together, resulting in an opening in the roof of the mouth. A cleft lip and palate can occur on one side or both sides. A child can suffer from a cleft lip, a cleft palate or both.

Q. What causes cleft lips and cleft palates?

A. The exact cause is unknown. Cleft lips and cleft palates are congenital defects that occur early in embryonic development. Scientists believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as maternal illness, drugs or malnutrition, may lead to a cleft lip or cleft palate. If one child in a family is born with a cleft, the risk increases by 2 to 4 percent that future children in the family will suffer from the same defect.

Q. Can cleft lips and cleft palates be prevented?

A, Scientists are researching methods to prevent cleft lips and cleft palates. One finding, according to research studies, is that mothers who take multivitamins containing folic acid before conception and during the first two months of pregnancy may reduce their risk of giving birth to a baby with a cleft.

Q. Does a cleft lip or cleft palate cause problems for a child?

A. Ear disease and dental problems occur frequently, as do problems with proper speech development. Children who suffer from a cleft lip and/or cleft palate may have difficulty eating. To address these issues, a child and family may work with a team of specialists — a pediatrician, a plastic surgeon, dental specialists, an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist), a speech-language pathologist and audiologist, a geneticist and a psychologist/social worker.

Q. Can cleft lips and cleft palates be repaired?

A. Yes. Cleft lip and palate surgery provides excellent results. A pediatrician and a plastic surgeon work with a child's parents to choose the best timing for surgery. Most surgeons agree that a cleft lip should be repaired by the time a baby is 3 months old. To repair the partition of mouth and nose as early as possible, a cleft palate generally is repaired between the ages of 12 and 18 months. Any surgical procedure is dependent upon a child's general health and the nature of the cleft lip or cleft palate.

Q. How frequently do cleft lips and cleft palates occur?

A. Cleft lips and cleft palates occur in approximately 1 per 500-700 births, the ratio varying considerably across geographic areas or ethnic groupings. (Source: World Health Organization International Collaborative Research on Craniofacial Anomalies)

Operation Smile Medical Programs

Q. How does Operation Smile differ in their approach to treating children with cleft conditions around the world?

A. Operation Smile distinguishes itself by adhering to six core principles:

Q. What does it cost to provide a surgery for a child with cleft?

A. Operation Smile is able to provide free cleft lip surgeries for children and young adults around the world for as little as $240. This is possible thanks to the generous contributions of medical professionals who volunteer their time and corporations that donate critical supplies and equipment necessary for safe surgery. This cost includes travel for essential medical team members to an international mission site, expenses incurred to purchase the additional supplies required for the medical mission and cargo costs to help ship these critical supplies.

Q. Do all surgeries cost $240?

A. Some sites are more difficult to reach and lack essential medical resources and infrastructure. For example, in remote locations such as the Amazon region of South America, or in a country like Rwanda, where there are only two specialized surgeons serving a population of 10 million people. These sites require that Operation Smile fly in the majority of medical volunteers due to the lack of local medical professionals which can make providing free surgeries more costly. However, this cost is balanced out by many of our of partner countries like Vietnam where Operation Smile has had a presence for more than 20 years. Operation Smile continually works to build sustainable programs around the world through establishing a strong local medical infrastructure, building local partnerships, conducting ongoing medical training and education,  and fostering volunteerism within local communities. As a result of these efforts, over 60% of surgeries are performed by local medical professionals at a greatly reduced cost.

Treating Clefts in the U.S.

Q. "Do you do any work in the United States to assist people born with clefts?"

A. Our U.S. Care Network referral service is available to families in the United States, so they may find the help they need for their children. There are three components: A list of referral websites about facial deformities, a physician resource list that includes the names of doctors who are available to review a case and an Operation Smile representative who can provide guidance. Call 888-677-6453 or 757-321-7645. For assistance with patients outside of the U.S., please refer to Operation Smile's international mission schedule.

Q. I live in the United States. Why have I never seen a child with a cleft here?

A. Cleft conditions (orofacial defects) are one of the four most common birth defects in the United States according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (cdcinfo@cdc.org.)  However, most clefts are repaired during early childhood in the United States. In other countries, reconstructive surgery can take place later in life due to a variety of reasons including lack of medical care, financial resources, etc. Higher rates of unrepaired clefts in older children may also be attributed to cultural differences.

Financial Transparency

Q. What percentage of your funds goes to actual charity work rather than salaries, offices, and administration?

All of our financial information, including IRS 990 forms are available on our website.

During FY 10, 73.2% of all donations went directly to programs, while 24.4 % was spent on fundraising, and 2.4% for administration expenses.

Q. How will Operation Smile's new building affect donations for children's care?

Operation Smile will establish our new global headquarters in Virginia Beach, Virginia to provide a secure future as one of the world’s leading volunteer based children’s charities. In its new location in Virginia Beach’s “Academic Village,” Operation Smile will have access to cutting-edge educational and medical resources, while working in collaboration with the area’s leaders in medicine and education. The new site allows us to leverage the resources of these leading institutions in the area, which gives us the opportunity to expand our services and overall mission.

All funds used for the new building have been donations made expressly for the New International Headquarters Capital Campaign. No general fund donations intended to provide surgeries will be used for the construction of the new facility.

Volunteering

Q . How can I support Operation Smile beyond just donating money?

A. You can help change a child's life by sharing your time, talent and resources as a medical or local community volunteer. We need your help to share our cause, complete smile service projects and raise funds -- so that children across the globe can receive free, life-changing surgery from our Operation Smile medical volunteers. Here are a few ways you can become involved:

• Become a medical volunteer
• Share Operation Smile with friends, family and colleagues by hosting a fundraising and awareness event in your local community
• Raise funds and awareness with a Workplace Giving Campaign
• Collect items to fill Smile Bags, provide medical office supplies or Child Life Therapy interactive toys.
• Sew children's hospital gowns, blankets, and armbands (gown patterns provided for a small fee)

Q. I am a medical volunteer with Operation Smile and just completed my first mission. It was a wonderful experience for me and I hope to do many more in the future. My only issue is that I feel we need better communication with regard to mission selection and timing. What are you doing to improve the medical volunteer experience?

A. Operation Smile launched the Medical Volunteers Action Center (MVAC) in March 2010 to give volunteers a centralized place for credentialing, signing up for missions, and for chronicling their mission experiences through the social-networking side of MVAC. We are very excited about this initiative and believe it will serve to improve the overall volunteer experience. Operation Smile is a constantly evolving organization so the needs of medical volunteers will evolve, as well. We work daily to assist users and welcome any suggestions to improve the website. Please contact our credentialing department.

Q. How can I get involved if I live outside the United States?

A. You can help change a child's life by sharing your time, talent and resources no matter where you live. We need your help by volunteering with your closest Operation Smile foundation to advocate for our cause, assist your local foundation and raise funds -- so that more children can receive free, life-changing surgery from our Operation Smile medical volunteers. Here are a few ways you can become involved:

• Become a medical volunteer
• Help assist at a local medical mission as a translator or medical record specialist
• Share Operation Smile with friends, family and colleagues by hosting a fundraising and awareness event in your local community
• Help start a local student club
• Provide local administrative support

These needs are determined and positions are filled through the foundation in each country. A full list of Operation Smile foundations is available on our website.  Please contact the foundation nearest you.

Student Programs

Q. I am still in school. I would love to get involved with Operation Smile. Please tell me how I can help?

A. There are great opportunities for students of all grade levels -- from elementary school through college. Operation Smile Student Programs empowers youth, creating a global movement for positive change through our four pillars of philanthropy: Leadership, Education, Service, and Awareness.

More than 600 Operation Smile Student Clubs around the globe build awareness, raise funds and educate students about our core values of commitment, leadership and volunteerism. When students help children in need, they learn firsthand how they can make an impact on the world and help heal humanity. To learn more, please visit our Student Programs page as well as our online student community, OS Central.

Donor Services

Q. It seems that the mailings I receive from Operation Smile cost a lot of money. Why not save that money for the kids and send me emails only?

A. Thank you for expressing your concerns about the cost of the mailings you have received. In fact, the cost can be as little as a postage stamp. We have found that corresponding with our donors through the mail is an effective way to reach a wide variety of people, educate them about our programs and increase donations so that Operation Smile can help more children.

Q. I make a one-time gift each year. I would prefer to not receive any calls or mailings. How can I do this?

A. We will gladly meet your request and update your communication preferences. Our mailing schedule can be customized to meet your individual needs and you can let us know exactly how you wish to be contacted. Please call our Donor Relations team at (888) 677-6453 or complete this online form.

Please note that due to our mail production schedule it may take up to 6-8 weeks for this request to take effect.

Q. I would prefer not to receive so much paper mailings -- can I sign up for email correspondence instead?

A.We are happy to help you with your request and can assist you with updating your communication preferences. Please call our Donor Relations team at (888) 677-6453 or complete this online form.

Please note that due to our mail production schedule it may take up to 6-8 weeks for this request to take effect.

Q. I would like to upgrade or change my monthly Smile Partner donation.  How do I make that change?

A. Thank you for your generosity and desire to help more children.  If you currently receive our monthly statement in the mail, please contact our Donor Relations team for assistance with your donation at (888) 677-6453.

If you are receiving your monthly statements by e-mail, you can log in to update your gift profile.

Q. Our daughter is getting married and we would like to make a donation of a smile in lieu of favors.  Is there something we can receive to share with the wedding guests?

A. Congratulations to your family and thank you for so generously giving new smiles as part of the wedding celebration. We have special materials that can be customized and printed for your event.  Please contact our Donor Relations team for assistance at (888) 677-6453.

Q. Can I restrict my donation to certain regions or countries?

We appreciate your interest in supporting specific programs and areas. To help the most children, we ask that you contribute unrestricted funding. While it is possible to have your gift directed toward a certain region or country where we are currently working, we may not have a current need in that area.  By not restricting your contribution for a specific project, you will enable us to allocate our resources more efficiently and help children in areas where the need is greatest.

Q. It would be nice to know, for sure, exactly which child I helped. Is there any way I can stay in touch with the child I have assisted?

A. Operation Smile's goal is to provide life-changing surgery for children suffering from cleft lips and cleft palates in remote locations around the world.  We have chosen to focus on the delivery of free surgery to children, rather than incurring the administrative costs of tracking and following individuals over an extended period of time.  To receive treatment, children and families travel great distances to visit our medical mission sites and care centers.  Our Post-Operative program goes to great lengths to check on the progress of children in the year following their surgery.  It is during these visits that we are able to capture the photos and stories of how your donations have made a difference.  We share these stories in as many ways as possible so that you can feel connected to the boys and girls whose lives have been transformed because you care.

Q. Is Operation Smile a religious or faith-based organization?

A. Operation Smile is an international humanitarian medical charity, which provides services to children of all faiths. Our medical volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and personal beliefs.

Smile Ambassadors

Q. How can my organization help support Operation Smile?

A. Operation Smile has partnered with leading corporations around the world and is ready to develop an integrated campaign that fits your business strategy. There are a myriad of ways to create a corporate partnership with us. We customize each unique partnership and strive for long-term relationships. Contact us today to learn more about how your company can benefit from a partnership with Operation Smile.

Q. How can my organization donate supplies to Operation Smile?

A. Operation Smile understands that donors are moved to help children worldwide suffering from cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. You may seek to help through in-kind donations of medical supplies or other goods, but we urge you to contact us before gathering items or making plans for an in-kind donation.

For more information about in-kind contributions, please contact us.

Q. I see that Operation Smile has many celebrity ambassadors. Does my gift help pay for celebrity endorsers?"

A. Our Smile Ambassadors not only bring awareness to our cause but they do it from the heart. The celebrities that support Operation Smile are not paid. In addition, many have participated on missions and made financial contributions. A list of our celebrity ambassadors is available on our website.

Facts About Proposed Smile Train Merger

Q. I received a letter saying that Operation Smile was merging with Smile Train. Now I understand that this is not going to happen. What is the final outcome?

Operation Smile is ever-growing and always evolving. It is in this spirit that we recently considered a proposal to merge with another cleft organization. Having thoughtfully and carefully explored the idea of combining, Operation Smile's Board of Directors voted to discontinue the proposed merger with Smile Train, determining that we will be stronger if we remain independent, staying true to our mission and focused on transforming children's lives. The Board of Directors of Smile Train also voted to discontinue the proposed merger.

Q. Why was the merger between Operation Smile and Smile Train called off?

William R. Fox, Chairman of the Board of Operation Smile, released the following statement on behalf of the Board of Directors: "We have thoughtfully and carefully pursued combining our two organizations with the goal of treating more children in more countries around the world. Due to controversy surrounding the proposed merger, we have mutually agreed to remain independent organizations. Our focus at Operation Smile is to help more children and we do not want anything to distract from this effort. We remain committed to our model to build local medical capacity and provide quality care for the millions of children around the world who suffer from cleft lips and cleft palates."

Operation Smile will continue its focus on providing hands-on training for local doctors in our partner countries, fostering a spirit of volunteerism, and providing the highest standard of care for each and every child it helps.

Q. It seems like Operation Smile and Smile Train do essentially the same thing. Wouldn't it be more efficient to work with Smile Train?

Operation Smile and Smile Train are both cleft organizations but the business models are quite different. Operation Smile's Medical Professionals volunteer their time and even pay a team fee to help cover their own travel expenses. Our missions include world-class doctors and medical professionals from all over the world. Operation Smile is also committed to our Global Standards of Care, offering intensive training and an extensive credentialing process so the children receiving treatment from Operation Smile are receiving the best possible treatment, no matter where they live.