As part of our commitment to the empowerment and sustainability of healthcare talents at our mission sites, as well as building capacity for sustainable cleft care globally, GSF launched the following initiatives:
Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshop
The Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshop (CCCW), founded by Global Smile Foundation, is carefully designed to empower cleft care providers around the world to deliver the best patient outcomes in their own communities by offering simulation-based training and education that is led by experts in the cleft and craniofacial fields.
The CCCW offers a unique opportunity to both the advanced cleft provider as well as the novice to gain knowledge and develop competency. Sessions are geared towards cleft care specialties with an emphasis on an integrated team approach.
Our goal is for CCCW attendees to acquire the skills necessary to build sustainable cleft care capacity where they live and work.
Visit www.cleftworkshop.org for more information.
Post-doctoral Research Fellowship
GSF offers a 2-year post-doctoral research fellowship for MD graduates. Typically, fellows have the opportunity to do the following:
- Participate in GSF’s research and publication programs
- Support GSF’s annual Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshop
- Represent GSF at national and international cleft meetings
- Work and interact with GSF’s comprehensive cleft team members from various specialties
- Travel on 3-4 GSF outreach programs/year
For more details, please contact bannan@gsmile.org.
Comprehensive Care Fellowship
We launched the first Comprehensive Care Fellowship in 2015. This one-year fellowship includes:
- Travel to every GSF mission site (10-21 days/mission)
- Work with highly experienced cleft surgeons from the U.S.
- Work and interact with GSF’s comprehensive cleft team members from various specialties
- Develop the needed skillset to form a comprehensive cleft care program
- Participate in GSF’s research and publication programs
Advanced NAM Training as Part of Comprehensive Cleft Care in Outreach Settings
GSF launched the first advanced training program in NasoAlveolar Molding (NAM) therapy in outreach settings as part of Comprehensive Cleft Care in 2012 in Latin America based in Guayaquil, Ecuador. This program aligns with our vision and ongoing efforts to provide comprehensive and multi-disciplinary cleft care year-round and our dedication to empowerment and sustainability initiatives through educational programs.
This training program provides the prospective fellow with the academic knowledge and clinical skills to proficiently treat infants born with cleft lip/palate utilizing NAM technique. The training includes intensive workshops and didactic knowledge taught by Craniofacial Pediatric Dentists who were trained by Dr. Barry Grayson, the founder of NAM therapy.
The prospective NAM fellow will also develop an understanding of what is needed to participate in or establish a similar NAM clinic at their own institute as part of Comprehensive Cleft Care delivery. The prospective fellow is expected to treat no less than 10 patients depending on the training duration, utilizing NAM before the patients’ primary surgical repair. The fellow will work/train with local healthcare providers. The advanced NAM training program produces proficient and scientifically adept dentists with advanced NAM training who are capable of diagnosing and managing all types of pediatric patients born with clefts.
International Partnerships for Comprehensive Cleft Care Programs
By partnering with various international hospitals and healthcare providers, GSF has been able to develop Comprehensive Cleft Care Centers in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and Beirut, Lebanon. These centers allow for free year-round, multidisciplinary care for our cleft patients as well as empower onsite providers in caring for these patients for a more sustainable future. GSF Cleft Care Centers provide surgical, dental, orthodontic, speech therapy, and psychosocial services.
During our annual outreach missions, GSF often partners with onsite universities to deliver lectures to their medical/dental student population and healthcare experts. These educational programs:
Cover a range of topics encompassing all specialties represented on our Comprehensive Cleft Team.
Offer hands-on training for local staff in the latest cutting-edge surgical, anesthesia, nursing, dental, biomedical engineering, nutrition, psychosocial, and speech therapy techniques.
Include enhanced maternal and infant preventative and nutritional programs that are helpful in reducing malnutrition and incidence of cleft deformities and dental caries are also delivered.
Residents and Fellows
Residents and fellows from top tier U.S. based medical institutions are selected by their programs to join the GSF teams. These residents and fellows gain further training in management of cleft as well as outreach programs.
