U.S. Care Network
Operation Smile was founded to provide surgical treatment for children and young adults suffering from facial deformities around the world. However, cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities know no geographic boundaries.
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.
Our U.S. Care Network includes 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.
- An Operation Smile representative who can provide guidance. Call 888-OPSMILE or 757-321-7645. For assistance with patients outside of the U.S., please refer to Operation Smile's international mission schedule.
Referral Websites
Disclaimer: The information on this website is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Operation Smile provides links to other resources without endorsement and claims no responsibility for their content.
For information on how to help a child with a cleft lip, cleft palate or other craniofacial anomaly, try these links to other organizations:
- American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and Cleft Palate Foundation: Operates the CLEFTLINE 1-800-24-CLEFT and produces free publications.
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Provides public education about reconstructive plastic surgery.
- Children's Craniofacial Association: CCA operates a toll-free hotline 1-800-535-3643, provides information and support, and offers financial assistance for lodging and travel.
- Cleft Advocate: Provides educational opportunities, support networks and insurance guidelines.
- FACES: The National Craniofacial Association: Addresses three distinct areas: Client Travel, Public Awareness and Understanding, and Information and Support.
- Family Voices: Aims to achieve family centered care for children with special health care needs.
- Fresh Start: Free reconstructive plastic surgery and related medical services for disadvantaged children.
- Insure Kids Now: A national campaign to connect the nation's uninsured children to free and low-cost health insurance.
- Miracle Flights for Kids: Provides free flights for children to specialized medical treatment centers.
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: Accurate, up-to-date information about oral health, clinical trials and patient resources.
- Prescription Parents: Support groups to help families in the New England area.
- Smiles: A group of dedicated families who have a firsthand understanding of the needs of craniofacial patients.
- Shriners Hospital for Children: Children with cleft lip and cleft palate, orthopedic conditions, burns of all degrees and spinal cord injuries are eligible for admission and receive care at no charge.
- United Healthcare Children’s Foundation: Provides medical grants for eligible children. To see if you qualify, visit the website and see the grant application criteria by clicking on “To Apply > Applicant.”
- World Craniofacial Foundation: Helps patients gain access to medical care on a patient-by-patient basis.
Physician Resource List
The physician list includes some of Operation Smile's credentialed medical volunteers. They practice in the states indicated and have graciously given Operation Smile permission to be listed as resources on the U.S. Care Network. Operation Smile will continue to add more physicians to this list.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for reference only. It is not an endorsement of any given doctor or group.
Because of the actual size of the list, it is now conveniently provided as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file that you can download and save to your computer.
Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft condition.
