Best Practice Resources

Safety and Quality Protocol

Standards for ensuring safe, high-quality cleft surgery. Select your language below to view the PDF file:

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:

Information for Parents During Cleft Surgery

Essential information for caregivers about what will happen when their child undergoes cleft surgery.

Post-Operative Care Discharge Checklist

This important resource ensures patients leave the hospital with essential discharge instructions.

Patient Recruitment Templates

Resources to identify and refer children and adults in need of cleft services. Download in English and contact partner@smiletrain.org for additional language templates.

Patient Awareness Flyer

Awareness flyers educate communities about clefts and Smile Train-supported treatment options. Download in English and contact partner@smiletrain.org for additional language templates.

Health Brochure

Comprehensive overview of cleft lips and palates, from diagnosis to final stages of treatment. Download PDF in English.

Feeding & Nutrition Services

While infants with clefts have the same nutritional needs as their peers, many face challenges that put them at risk of poor nutrition — chief among them the lack of timely, skilled support for breastfeeding and breast milk feeding. 

Early cleft care must begin at birth, with a systematic palate examination of every newborn to ensure prompt identification of a cleft palate. Recognition alone is not enough: It must be followed immediately by skilled feeding support and the continuous monitoring of growth and nutritional status. These early interventions are critical to safeguarding survival, supporting healthy development, and preparing infants for safe, timely surgery.

Palate Examination

A thorough palate examination at birth is crucial for the early identification of a cleft palate. This simple, systematic step ensures that these clefts are recognized promptly, allowing for timely intervention and the planning of appropriate care. Early detection is key to providing the necessary support to ensure the baby’s survival and future health.

To help reinforce the importance of this examination, check out our instructional video on how to conduct an infant palate examination effectively.

Watch Palate Examination Video 

Overcoming Feeding Challenges

Feeding difficulties are one of the earliest and most significant challenges that mothers of babies with clefts face. Timely, skilled support can make all the difference in empowering caregivers to successfully breastfeed or feed expressed milk. With the right guidance, mothers can confidently navigate these challenges, helping their infants receive the nutrition they need for healthy growth.

Watch our videos on providing effective feeding assistance to mothers, which offer practical tips and strategies for overcoming feeding difficulties.

View Feeding Videos

Accurate Growth Measurements

Accurately measuring growth parameters is essential to assessing the nutritional status of infants with clefts. Regular monitoring allows healthcare professionals to identify and address any growth faltering early, ensuring that each infant receives the appropriate care and intervention they need to thrive. 

Our videos on taking accurate body measurements will guide you in using the correct techniques to monitor the growth and nutritional health of your patients with clefts.

Feeding & Nutrition Workshop

Smile Train partnered with the SPOON Foundation to create a multi-day workshop called "Supporting Comprehensive Cleft Care Through Nutrition and Feeding." This workshop focuses on effective feeding strategies and nutrition and is designed for nutrition care providers and allied staff. Topics include breastfeeding, breast milk expression, safe spoon and cup feeding techniques, weaning, and monitoring growth and nutritional status. For more information, please visit our Training Programs – Cleft Team Resources.

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