Best Practice Resources
We have a complete library of Best Practice Guides to support partners as they provide top-quality, safe cleft surgery and comprehensive care.
Best Practice Resources List
Safety and Quality Protocol
Standards for ensuring safe, high-quality cleft surgery. Select your language below to view the PDF file:
| English |
Surgical Safety Checklist for Cleft Lip and Palate
This important resource should be used to ensure safe cleft surgery. Select your language below to view the PDF file:
| English |
Information for Parents During Cleft Surgery
Essential information for caregivers about what will happen when their child undergoes cleft surgery.
| English |
Post-Operative Care Discharge Checklist
This important resource ensures patients leave the hospital with essential discharge instructions.
| English |
Patient Recruitment Templates
Resources to identify and refer children and adults in need of cleft services. Download in English and contact [email protected] for additional language templates.
| English |
Patient Awareness Flyer
Awareness flyers educate communities about clefts and Smile Train-supported treatment options. Download in English and contact [email protected] for additional language templates.
| English |
Health Brochure
Comprehensive overview of cleft lips and palates, from diagnosis to final stages of treatment. Download PDF in English.
| English |
Feeding Brochure and Video
Demonstrates effective techniques for breastfeeding a baby with a cleft and introduces safe practices for bottle, spoon, and/or cup feeding.
| English |
Speech Services
We produced a series of videos in partnership with Teachers College, Columbia University on cleft palate speech sounds and effective therapy techniques.
Comprehensive Cleft Care Recommended Timeline
The care timeline below details the most common comprehensive cleft care journey, from before birth through to adulthood. We recognize not all assessments and treatments mentioned here are yet available across our network of partner hospitals and that patients do not always return for consistent services. This timeline, therefore, represents an ideal and is meant as both a reference and as a guide to areas where we must continue to research and innovate.
Visual Timeline
| English |
Written Timeline
| English |