Where We Work

Global effort, local impact. Discover where Operation Smile teams are providing care and building equal access to quality health care.

Our Global Impact

We currently provide world-class cleft care in 37 countries supported by more than 6,000 volunteers from 60 countries and have a presence in more than 40 countries.

A World of Care

We work tirelessly to ensure access to high-quality, comprehensive care around the world.

40+

countries Operation Smile has presences in.

Russia

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Russia was held in 1993.

30

Credentialed Volunteers

China

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in China was held in 1991.

27,000+

Patients Treated

Italy

Operation Smile established a presence in Italy in 2000.

100+

Credentialed Volunteers

United States

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

1,000+

Credentialed Volunteers

Ethiopia

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Ethiopia was held in 2005.

1,900+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Ireland

Operation Smile established a presence in Ireland in 2004.

50+

Credentialed Volunteers

Australia

Operation Smile established a presence in Australia in 1999.

100+

Credentialed Volunteers

Canada

Operation Smile established a presence in Canada in 2011.

150+

Credentialed Volunteers

Norway

Operation Smile established a presence in Norway in 2023.

10+

Credentialed Volunteers

South Korea

Operation Smile established a presence in South Korea in 2012.

$725,000+

Raised to Support Life-Changing Care

Sweden

Operation Smile established a presence in Sweden in 2010.

175+

Credentialed Volunteers

Switzerland

Operation Smile established a presence in Switzerland in 2015.

2

Credentialed Volunteers

United Kingdom

Operation Smile established a presence in the United Kingdom in 2001.

75+

Credentialed Volunteers

Bolivia

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Bolivia was held in 1999.

6,630+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Brazil

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Brazil was held in 1997.

6,000+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Colombia

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Colombia was held in 1988.

23,000+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Dominican Republic

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

4,600+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Ecuador

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Ecuador was held in 1995.

8,000+

Surgeries Provided

Guatemala

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Guatemala was held in 2011.

1,300+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Honduras

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Honduras was held in 1997.

6,500+

Patients Treated

Mexico

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Mexico was held in 2006.

6,400+

Surgeries Provided

Panama

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Panama was held in 1991.

4,500+

Cleft Surgeries

Paraguay

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Paraguay was held in 2005.

3,400+

Cleft Surgeries

Peru

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Peru was held in 1999.

7,000+

Patients Treated

Venezuela

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Venezuela was held in 1993.

9,000+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

India

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in India was held in 2002.

30,000+

Patients Treated

Myanmar

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Myanmar was held in 2010.

900+

Surgeries Provided

Pakistan

Operation Smile joined forces with the Cleft Lip and Palate Association of Pakistan in 2023.

7

Credentialed Volunteers

Egypt

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Egypt was held in 2006.

4,700+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Jordan

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Jordan was held in 2000.

4,000+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

United Arab Emirates

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

50+

Credentialed Volunteers

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2009.

2,500+

Surgery Patients

Ghana

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Ghana was held in 2011.

1,900+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Kenya

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Kenya was held in 1987.

9,000

Patients Treated

Madagascar

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Madagascar was held in 2007.

4,300+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Malawi

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Malawi was held in 2012.

2,300+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Mozambique

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Mozambique was held in 2014.

200+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Rwanda

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Rwanda was held in 2010.

1,900+

Surgeries Provided

South Africa

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

470+

Surgeries Provided

Morocco

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Morocco was held in 1998.

13,000+

Cleft Surgeries Provided

Philippines

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

45,000+

Patients Treated

Thailand

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Thailand was held in 1997.

12,800+

Patients Treated

Vietnam

Operation Smile’s first surgical program in Vietnam was held in 1989.

66,000+

Patients Treated

Tanzania

Operation Smile established a presence in Tanzania in 2024.

Tooltip

Providing Patient Care

We provide direct patient care through short-term surgical and nonsurgical programs, comprehensive care centers and hospital partnerships. We work with local community leaders to create solutions that deliver the highest quality of care possible.

Short-Term Programs

Over the years, we’ve perfected the surgical program model. Our dedicated patient coordinators execute country-wide awareness and recruitment campaigns in advance to advertise the services we provide. At the same time, our program coordinators handle the logistics required to secure the supplies and the space need to host our patients, their families and our volunteers. The program itself lasts less than two weeks.

Year-Round Centers of Care

Our patients’ need for care doesn’t stop when a short-term surgical program ends. That’s why we operate 33 care centers in 18 countries that provide year-round solutions for those who require more complex treatment than a single program can provide. At these centers, patients receive free services including dentistry, orthodontics, speech therapy, nutritional counseling, psychosocial care, and cleft and orthognathic surgeries from our dedicated staff and volunteers.

Hospital Partners

Operation Smile partners with nearly 200 hospitals in the countries where we work. These partnerships take a variety of forms, with some offering us space to conduct surgical interventions and operations and some providing ongoing care via surgeons or care providers who are affiliated with us. These hospital partnerships provide an ongoing avenue for care for patients with cleft conditions and facilitate increased collaboration between Operation Smile staff and volunteers and high-level health care providers in the countries where we work.

Make a Gift Today

Your gift helps us provide care around the world.

Stories from Around the World

View All Stories

Get Involved

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

More Ways to Get Involved

Make Your Gift

Your gift today will help transform lives and increase access to essential surgical care.

Loading