Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Program

Scope of Care

The Craniofacial Program at the CDRC offers expertise in the ongoing management, treatment, and coordination of services for individuals, birth through adulthood, with cleft palate or other craniofacial disorders. Protocols follow a developmental scheme with appointments arranged in anticipation of the emerging issues typically associated with cleft palate and craniofacial disorders.

Services We Provide

The program team helps individuals and families make timely, appropriate and cost-effective decisions for care. Our clients benefit from the individual and collective expertise of many specialists from departments throughout OHSU. These specialists share a commitment to the goal of access to exemplary care for children born with cleft palate or craniofacial disorders. In addition to the individual, family and primary care provider, the team includes members from over 20 areas of medical, educational, and social service expertise including:

  • Assistive Technology
  • Audiology
  • Cardiology
  • Dentistry
  • Education
  • Facial Plastic Surgery
  • Genetics
  • Medical Social Work
  • Neurosurgery
  • Nursing
  • Nutrition
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Ophthalmology
  • Oral Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Orthodontics
  • Otolaryngology
  • Pediatrics
  • Physical Therapy
  • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Speech-Language Pathology

Service Providers

Program team members include faculty and staff from a variety of specialties at CDRC and Doernbecher Children's Hospital at Oregon Health & Science University. In their commitment to ensuring access to quality care for persons with craniofacial disorders, program staff members offer training, technical assistance and consultation about specific topics related to craniofacial disorders. The program is based on the Team Standards of Care recommended by the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association.

How to make a Referral

Families or their primary care physicians may refer children at any time. Initial contact with our program may begin with consultation pre-natally or during the newborn period. Early nursing consultation is critical for success of initial feeding efforts and is a unique feature of our program. Collaboration between program specialists, community providers and families is the key to achieving the optimal treatment for each child. The program can help coordinate care whether direct services are provided at OHSU or in the community.

The costs for craniofacial clinic services are billed to the individual's or family's health care plan. For more information, or to initiate a referral, please call 503-494-8095 or 800-452-3563.

Resources

  • Cleft Links from Wide Smiles
    A web site featuring a collection of over 600 cleft-related articles organized by subject area.
  • American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA)
    (919) 933-9044
    An international non-profit medical society of health care professionals who treat and/or perform research on birth defects of the head and face. The ACPA is a multidisciplinary organization of over 2,500 members representing more than 30 disciplines in 40 countries. Their goal is to provide optimal care for this group of patients and their families.
  • Cleft Palate Foundation
    (800) 24-CLEFT
    A non-profit organization dedicated to optimizing the quality of life for individuals affected by facial birth defects. Founded by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, it is the public service arm of the professional Association. CPF operates the CLEFTLINE (1-800-24-CLEFT ) and produces free publications
  • La Fundación del Paladar Hendido
    (919) 933-9044
    La Fundación del Paladar Hendido es una organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a ayudar las personas con defectos de la cabeza y el cuello, y sus familias. Las actividades principales de la funcacion incluyen la operación de CLEFTLINE (1-800-24-CLEFT) y la entrega de publicaciones

Training

Speech pathology, dental, and plastic surgery residents/fellows participate in our clinics during their training. Fellowships are available through the division of speech pathology at CDRC. Contact the program director through the main telephone number (()) for more information.