Surgery

Providing access to surgical care has been Operation Smile’s mission since its inception. Today, we are partnering with volunteer educators from across the globe to train the next generation of health care providers in the communities where we work.

Life-Changing Cleft Surgery for Patients in Need

Operation Smile provides life-changing cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries for children and adults around the world. Providing access to surgical care has been part of Operation Smile’s mission since its inception. Today, we are training the next generation of health care providers in the communities where we work.

Five billion people lack access to safe and affordable surgery. We’re closing the gap.

Five billion people around the world lack access to safe, affordable surgical care. All patients — including children with cleft conditions — deserve access to timeline, life-changing surgery. An estimated 143 million more surgeries are needed annually, requiring 2.2 million more surgeons and anesthesiologists.

When Operation Smile began more than 40 years ago, we relied on skilled medical professionals who volunteered their time to travel to perform life-altering cleft surgery. Today, nearly 80% of our medical volunteers are health care professionals from the low- and middle-income countries we serve. Through our training and education programs, we’re helping to build the next generation of surgical providers where they’re needed most.

Training More Cleft Surgeons and Providers

Operation Smile works to expand education pathways that train more surgeons in cleft procedures.

The Need

In low- and middle-income countries, there is a scarcity of surgical education opportunities due to insufficient financial resources, a shortage of teaching faculty and limited clinical training options.

The Solution

Through Operation Smile’s surgical education programs, we support surgeons worldwide as they serve their communities and expand access to cleft care.

Learn about Our Education Programs

The Strategy

For the surgery specialty, Operation Smile has developed a cleft competency pathway that gives local providers the skills and experience to practice safe and sustainable care. Trainees can enter at varying points based on their current competency level, engage in relevant programs and enhance their skills accordingly.

At the heart of our education programs is the drive to ensure more patients have access to safe essential surgical care. Our volunteers continue to deliver safe surgical care in the countries we work, transforming the lives of patients, like Camila and Mateo.