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Lanto smiles with her before photo.
Leao smiles for the camera.

Leao and his mother, Gabriela, journeyed for days to get to a better life.

Ephraim was filling gas tanks at work when the kindness of an unnamed gentleman changed his life.

Four-year-old Clarra and 8-year-old Vololoniana hug teddy bears in child life during an Operation Smile surgical program in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

The goal of psychosocial care extends far beyond ensuring a child is prepared for surgery.

We are Operation Smile, providing

more than 40 years of safe cleft care across the world.

Our founders, Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee, continue to lead the organization, transforming lives through free cleft surgeries and comprehensive care.

Photo: Lorenzo Monacelli.

Donate today

Your kind donation contributes towards life-saving treatment for children across the world.
Jheleen and Andrea, After Surgery

What is a cleft condition?

A cleft condition is a gap in the mouth that didn't close during the early stages of pregnancy, and this happens more often than you may realize. It is estimated that, worldwide, a child is born every three minutes with a cleft condition.

Care and Treatment

Comprehensive care from the start to the end.

As well as life-changing cleft surgery, Operation Smile provides comprehensive cleft care including nutrition dentistry, orthodontics, speech therapy, and psychosocial care.

Learn More
Operation Smile resident training program in Rwanda. Photo: Jorgen Hildebrandt.

Timely cleft surgery is essential to a patient's long-term health and well-being.

Moses, 11 months old, is placed on a scale with recovery room nurse Michael Agbavor during screening as his mom, Aba, observes.

A cleft condition can cause malnourishment. Our nutritional support helps patients grow healthy for surgery.

Photo: Jasmin Shah.

Dentists provide specialized procedures and create devices that improve patients' surgical results and overall health.

Orthodontic care is also crucial to a patient's healthy oral development and personal confidence.

Volunteer psychologist Deisy Chanchay of Ecuador explains cleft surgery to a parent prior to their child entering the operating room. Photo: Lorenzo Monacelli.

Certified psychosocial care providers help patients and families throughout the course of their treatment.

speech

Speech therapists help patients speak more clearly and teach parents feeding techniques for their babies.

Operation Smile resident training program in Rwanda. Photo: Jorgen Hildebrandt.

Timely cleft surgery is essential to a patient's long-term health and well-being.

Moses, 11 months old, is placed on a scale with recovery room nurse Michael Agbavor during screening as his mom, Aba, observes.

A cleft condition can cause malnourishment. Our nutritional support helps patients grow healthy for surgery.

Photo: Jasmin Shah.

Dentists provide specialized procedures and create devices that improve patients' surgical results and overall health.

Orthodontic care is also crucial to a patient's healthy oral development and personal confidence.

Volunteer psychologist Deisy Chanchay of Ecuador explains cleft surgery to a parent prior to their child entering the operating room. Photo: Lorenzo Monacelli.

Certified psychosocial care providers help patients and families throughout the course of their treatment.

speech

Speech therapists help patients speak more clearly and teach parents feeding techniques for their babies.

Heydi Age 3
Photo: Margherita Mirabella.
Inspiring Stories

Claudina helped deliver her granddaughter, Heydi, in the back of a taxi.

But the difficult journey for Heydi was just beginning.

Read Stories Donate Now
Pedro Age 5
Inspiring Stories

Maribelis and her son, Pedro, fled their home.

It was in a refugee camp in Colombia where Marbelis found hope and care for Pedro.

Read Stories Donate Now
Where We Work

We are committed to care across the world.

With more than 6,000 medical volunteers from all around the world, Operation Smile is one of the world's largest volunteer-based nonprofit organizations.

Australia

Operation Smile established a presence in Australia in 1999

Explore our impact in Australia

Bolivia

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Bolivia was held in 1999

Explore our impact in Bolivia

Brazil

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Brazil was held in 1997

Explore our impact in Brazil

Canada

Operation Smile established a presence in Canada in 2011

Explore our impact in Canada

China

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Chian was held in 1991

Explore our impact in China

Colombia

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Colombia was held in 1988

Explore our impact in Colombia

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Operation Smile's first surgical program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was held in 2009

Dominican Republic

Operation Smile's first surgical program in the Dominican Republic was held in 2009

Explore our impact in Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Ecuador was held in 1995

Explore our impact in Ecuador

Egypt

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Egypt was held in 2006

Explore our impact in Egypt

Ethiopia

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Ethiopia was held in 2005

Explore our impact in Ethiopia

Ghana

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Ghana was held in 2011

Explore our impact in Ghana

Guatemala

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Guatemala was held in 2011

Explore our impact in Guatemala

Haiti

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Haiti was held in 2008

Honduras

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Honduras was held in 1997

Explore our impact in Honduras

India

Operation Smile's first surgical program in India was held in 2002

Explore our impact in India

Ireland

Operation Smile established a presence in Ireland in 2004

Italy

Operation Smile established a presence in Italy in 2000

Explore our impact in Italy

Jordan

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Jordan was held in 2000

Explore our impact in Jordan

Kenya

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Kenya was held in 1987

Explore our impact in Kenya

Madagascar

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Madagascar was held in 2007

Explore our impact in Madagascar

Malawi

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Malawi was held in 2012

Explore our impact in Malawi

Mexico

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Mexico was held in 2006

Explore our impact in Mexico

Morocco

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Morocco was held in 1998

Explore our impact in Morocco

Mozambique

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Mozambique was held in 2014

Explore our impact in Mozambique

Myanmar

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Myanmar was held in 2010

Norway

Operation Smile established a presence in Norway in 2023.

Panama

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Panama was held in 1991

Explore our impact in Panama

Paraguay

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Paraguay was held in 2005

Explore our impact in Paraguay

Peru

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Peru was held in 1999

Explore our impact in Peru

Philippines

Operation Smile's first surgical program in the Philippines was held in 1982

Explore our impact in Philippines

Russia

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Russia was held in 1993

Rwanda

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Rwanda was held in 2010

Explore our impact in Rwanda

South Africa

Operation Smile's first surgical program in South Africa was held in 2006

Explore our impact in South Africa

South Korea

Operation Smile established a presence in South Korea in 2012

Sweden

Operation Smile established a presence in Sweden in 2010

Explore our impact in Sweden

Switzerland

Operation Smile established a presence in Switzerland in 2015

Thailand

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Thailand was held in 1997

Explore our impact in Thailand

United Arab Emirates

Operation Smile established a presence in the United Arab Emirates in 2011

United Kingdom

Operation Smile established a presence in the United Kingdom in 2001

Explore our impact in United Kingdom

United States

Dr. Bill Magee and Kathy Magee founded Operation Smile in 1982 in Norfolk, Virginia

Explore our impact in United States

Venezuela

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Venezuela was held in 1993

Vietnam

Operation Smile's first surgical program in Vietnam was held in 1989

Explore our impact in Vietnam
Get Involved

You can help out and get involved in many ways.

You can give children a chance to grow up without life-threatening health problems, social stigma, isolation, and feelings of hopelessness.

Learn More

By getting involved with Operation Smile, you can help give children suffering from cleft lips a chance at life-changing surgeries, improved nutrition, and a better future.

ILC

The Anthony L. and Hideko S. Burgess Interactive Learning Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia, offers an immersive view of our work.

Annika and Her Mom

Leave a legacy that will transform the lives of patients, like Annika, and their families around the world.

By getting involved with Operation Smile, you can help give children suffering from cleft lips a chance at life-changing surgeries, improved nutrition, and a better future.

ILC

The Anthony L. and Hideko S. Burgess Interactive Learning Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia, offers an immersive view of our work.

Annika and Her Mom

Leave a legacy that will transform the lives of patients, like Annika, and their families around the world.

Make a Donation

Your support provides children access to life-changing care.

You can make such a difference to children with cleft conditions who - through no fault of their own - are unable to access the safe, comprehensive cleft care they need.

Donate today

Your kind donation contributes towards life-saving treatment for children across the world.
About Us

We revolutionized cleft surgery globally in 1982.

The pediatrician becomes the patient at a 2005 surgical program in China.