Global Smile Foundation

Global Smile Foundation (GSF) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, U.S., that provides free comprehensive cleft care, including surgery and dental services, to children in low to middle-income countries. Additionally, the foundation offers education and training for healthcare providers specializing in cleft treatment.

History
Global Smile Foundation was co-founded in 2008 by Dr. Usama Hamdan and other volunteers. Dr. Hamdan is a plastic surgeon and otolaryngologist. They began to conduct outreach programs to provide comprehensive cleft care for children born with cleft lip and/or cleft palate living in low-to-middle-income countries.

In 2012, Global Smile Foundation established a sister organization, Fundación Global Smile-Ecuador, to facilitate outreach programs in Ecuador. Volunteers within the country run this organization.

In 2014, GSF and Fundación Global Smile-Ecuador launched a Cleft Care Center at Hospital Leon Becerra in Guayaquil, Ecuador to provide year-round comprehensive cleft care.

Also in 2014, GSF established Global Smile Foundation MENA to facilitate outreach medical programs in Beirut, Lebanon. This organization is volunteer-run.

In 2024, GSF established Global Smile Foundation Peru to support the growth of outreach cleft care programs.

Comprehensive Cleft Care
Comprehensive Cleft Care is a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, beginning before birth and extending into adulthood. This approach integrates various specialties, including pre-surgical dental orthopedics, nutritional counseling, reconstructive surgeries, dental and orthodontic treatments, speech therapy, and psychosocial support. The American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association provides resources on the best practices for comprehensive cleft care.

Outreach Medical Programs
GSF partners with medical experts from diverse fields within cleft care on medical outreach programs. The organization conducts outreach medical programs in several locations, including San Salvador, El Salvador; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Trujillo, Peru; and Beirut, Lebanon. These programs aim to provide sustained care and support to individuals affected by cleft lip and/or palate. They have also conducted outreach programs in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Guatemala, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal.

Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshops
Dr. Usama Hamdan and Global Smile Foundation founded the Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshop (CCCW) in 2018. This event provides training and education for cleft providers and is focused on building capacity in low- to middle-income countries. The goal is for CCCW attendees to acquire the skills necessary to create sustainable cleft care capacity where they live and work.

Cleft and craniofacial specialists teach workshops at the CCCW. The workshops are structured to offer lectures, round table discussions, and hands-on simulation sessions. The educational approach is based on comprehensive cleft care and the curriculum integrates the different fields involved in comprehensive cleft care.

The first CCCW took place in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2018. Since then, workshops have been held in:


 * Lima, Peru (2019)
 * Online (2020)
 * Istanbul, Turkey (2021)
 * Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2022)
 * Barcelona, Spain (2023)

In 2024, Global Smile Foundation will host the 1st South African Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa. The 7th International Comprehensive Cleft Care Workshop will be held in 2025 in Cartagena, Colombia.