Cleft Lip and Palate Center at Nationwide Children's
Our nationally recognized team has a single, clear focus – caring for the whole child for their whole life. From our perspective, expert surgery is only the beginning. True healing occurs when we build a lifelong relationship that continues to address each of the physical and emotional aspects associated with your child’s condition.
The Cleft Lip and Palate Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers children and their families comprehensive care from a multi-disciplinary team of nationally recognized clinicians. Led by Richard E. Kirschner, MD, FACS, FAAP, chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and co-editor of the textbook Comprehensive Cleft Care, our team comprises experts from plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, otolaryngology (ENT), speech - language pathology, nursing, dentistry, social work, audiology, genetics, and psychology.
The Cleft Lip and Palate Center is recognized as an affiliate team of the American Cleft Palate - Craniofacial Association (ACPA).
The Cleft Lip and Palate Center supports the vision of Nationwide Children’s Hospital's Strategic Plan, and supports the principles of care set forth by ACPA.
Our multidisciplinary team consists of individuals who are recognized as national leaders in their specialties. We provide comprehensive care to optimize facial appearance, speech, dentafacial development, and overall self-concept. In addition to providing premier diagnostic and treatment services to patients, we also provide educational and support programs for families and the community.
We believe that it is our responsibility to provide training and research opportunities for students, residents and fellows in the area of cleft/craniofacial anomalies in order to ensure future generations of quality care for cleft-affected children and that it is our obligation to provide comprehensive services to underprivileged children in developing regions of the world.
