LEARN ABOUT OUR SUSTAINABLE MODEL
HOW WE CHANGE THE WORLD ONE SMILE AT A TIME
Seeing the flaws in mission-based models; Smile Train was the first cleft-focused organization with a model of true sustainability. For the last 20 years, we have supported safe and quality cleft care for 1.5+ million children and will continue to do so until every child in need with a cleft has access to the care they deserve.
Locating children in need
Local staff and in-country volunteers raise awareness about clefts and the services that Smile Train offers through media campaigns, visits to neighbouring communities, health worker outreach, and word of mouth. Families learn that clefts can be treated at no cost at a local partner hospital.
Empowering local medical professionals
Smile Train provides training and financial support for the treatment of clefts, empowering medical professionals around the world to treat cleft patients with life-changing surgery and related comprehensive cleft care that they would not otherwise be able to access.
Providing comprehensive cleft care
In addition to life-changing surgery, our local medical partners provide essential care, such as speech therapy, emotional support, nutrition services, and orthodontic care, to ensure that children have the opportunity to lead full and productive lives.
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
Smile Train partners with local in-country medical professionals to provide cleft treatments to patients in their own communities. Our sustainable model makes us more efficient and effective than mission-based organisations, as Smile Train’s patients can receive care 365 days a year — this allows every person to get the help they need.
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE SMILES
Since we were founded, Smile Train has looked to technology to help train more local professionals who, in turn, are able to reach more children in need.
Virtual Surgery Simulator
The Simulator is an advanced, interactive, freely-available, 3D simulation technology that provides instruction on a variety of complex cleft surgical procedures.
Smile Train Express (STX)
Our partners upload patient records to our digital patient database, which not only saves millions in shipping, handling, and storage costs, but also allows us to review and monitor the quality of their work.
Apps
We have developed mobile applications to provide children with clefts, their parents, and local speech therapists more resources and means to improve their speech and language development.
BROTHER SISTER CLEFT TEAM
Cristian and Andrea are changing the landscape of cleft care in Ecuador by providing year-round comprehensive cleft care in their own community.