Mission-Based Education

Our missions provide smiles for children and a chance to learn for volunteers. We deliver training during each of our international medical missions, ranging from formal medical conferences to informal workshops on specific skills or techniques. The programs are designed to meet the needs of the health care facilities that host the missions and of the health care providers from partner countries.

Certain Operation Smile team members are selected to engage in this educational role, which they perform before, during or after the surgical mission. At times, the team includes guest educators who are internationally recognized in their fields. During a typical mission, as many as 100 in-country health care workers benefit — and even greater numbers of children benefit as these workers put their training into action.