Skip to content
How It Works
Explore
Resources Ask a Question
Who It's For
Patients Caregivers Providers
Log In Ask a Question
PubMed This is a summary of 12 peer-reviewed journal articles Updated
Plastic Surgery · Cleft Lip and Palate

Building Your Care Team: The Power of Collaboration

At a Glance

Cleft lip and palate care requires a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including surgeons, ENTs, orthodontists, and speech therapists. Choosing an ACPA-accredited team ensures these experts collaborate on a unified treatment plan, leading to better outcomes and less stress for your family.

Cleft care is complex and spans from birth into early adulthood. Because a cleft affects feeding, speech, hearing, dental growth, and facial development, no single doctor can manage it alone. Research shows that centralized, multidisciplinary care—where a team of specialists works together—leads to better clinical outcomes and a lower overall treatment burden for your child [1][2].

What is an ACPA-Accredited Team?

The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) sets strict “Parameters of Care” for medical teams [3]. An ACPA-accredited team has undergone a rigorous review to ensure they have all the necessary specialists on staff and that they meet regularly to coordinate care [4]. This accreditation is a “gold standard” that ensures your child is not receiving fragmented care [5].

Your Core Support System

A comprehensive cleft team includes several key players [6]:

  1. Plastic Surgeon: Performs the initial repairs and oversees long-term structural development [7].
  2. Otolaryngologist (ENT): Monitors hearing and manages middle ear fluid [6].
  3. Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): Evaluates speech sounds and palatal function [8].
  4. Orthodontist: Manages the alignment of the jaws and teeth [9].
  5. Geneticist: Helps identify if the cleft is part of a syndrome and provides family risk assessment [10].
  6. Social Worker or Psychologist: Supports your family’s emotional well-being and helps navigate logistical challenges [6].

Why “Team Meetings” Matter

The hallmark of a great cleft team is the multidisciplinary team meeting [11]. During these sessions, the surgeon, orthodontist, and speech therapist sit in one room to discuss your child’s progress. Instead of you having to repeat information to five different doctors at five different appointments, the team agrees on a single, unified plan [12]. This collaboration reduces unnecessary procedures and ensures one specialist’s treatment doesn’t interfere with another’s [2].

The Importance of Parent Communities

In addition to your medical team, finding a community of parents who have walked this path is vital for emotional survival. Connecting with organizations like the ACPA or the Cleftline can introduce you to support groups. Hearing practical advice from other parents who have survived the “no-no” arm restraints, middle-of-the-night feeding struggles, and multiple surgeries is just as important as the medical care your child receives.

Choosing an accredited team means choosing a community of experts who will be with your family for nearly 20 years, ensuring your child has a clear roadmap every step of the way [4].

Common questions in this guide

What is an ACPA-accredited cleft team?
An ACPA-accredited team is a group of medical specialists that has passed a rigorous review by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. This ensures they have all the necessary experts on staff who meet regularly to coordinate your child's care.
Which doctors and specialists are on a cleft care team?
A comprehensive cleft team typically includes a plastic surgeon, otolaryngologist (ENT), speech-language pathologist, orthodontist, geneticist, and a social worker or psychologist. Together, they manage everything from surgeries to emotional support.
Why are multidisciplinary team meetings important for cleft care?
Team meetings allow all of your child's specialists to sit in one room and agree on a single, unified treatment plan. This prevents fragmented care, reduces unnecessary procedures, and saves you from repeating information at multiple appointments.
How often will the cleft team meet to discuss my child's progress?
The frequency of meetings depends on your child's specific needs and age, but accredited teams hold regular multidisciplinary meetings. You should ask your specific clinic about their schedule and who serves as your primary care coordinator.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Curated prompts to bring to your next appointment.

  1. 1.Is this clinic accredited by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA)?
  2. 2.How often does the entire multidisciplinary team meet to discuss my child's specific case and progress?
  3. 3.Who will be my primary point of contact or 'care coordinator' when I have questions about scheduling or feeding?
  4. 4.Does your team follow a standardized 'protocol' or roadmap for the timing of surgeries and evaluations?
  5. 5.How do the different specialists on the team communicate with each other and with my child's pediatrician?

Questions For You

Tap a prompt to share your answer — we'll use it plus this page's context to start a tailored conversation.

References

References (12)
  1. 1

    Centralization of cleft care in the UK. Part 6: a tale of two studies.

    Ness AR, Wills AK, Waylen A, et al.

    Orthodontics & craniofacial research 2015; (18 Suppl 2()):56-62 doi:10.1111/ocr.12111.

    PMID: 26567856
  2. 2

    Impact of Interdisciplinary Team Care for Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

    Hickey SE, Kellogg B, O'Brien M, et al.

    The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association 2020; (57(12)):1362-1369 doi:10.1177/1055665620947985.

    PMID: 32787583
  3. 3

    Interdisciplinary Team Care for Children with Facial Differences.

    O'Gara M, Alcocer Alkureishi L, Alkureishi L, Barhight L

    Pediatric annals 2023; (52(1)):e18-e22 doi:10.3928/19382359-20221114-04.

    PMID: 36625796
  4. 4

    The Impact of Social Determinants of Health in Facial and Craniomaxillofacial Reconstruction: Can We Do Better?

    Khetpal S, Sasson DC, Lopez J, et al.

    The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association 2022; (59(7)):938-945 doi:10.1177/10556656211037510.

    PMID: 34514875
  5. 5

    Six-year Burden of Care for Nonsyndromic Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients: A Comparison Between Cleft Centers and Noncleft Centers.

    Janssen PL, Ghosh K, Klein GM, et al.

    The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal : official publication of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association 2023; (60(1)):5-12 doi:10.1177/10556656211053768.

    PMID: 34786981
  6. 6

    Cleft Lip and Palate.

    Worley ML, Patel KG, Kilpatrick LA

    Clinics in perinatology 2018; (45(4)):661-678 doi:10.1016/j.clp.2018.07.006.

    PMID: 30396411
  7. 7

    Evaluation of transpalatal distraction in cleft palate patients.

    Abouseada SAS, El-Ghafour MA, Kamel HM, Elbokle NN

    Oral and maxillofacial surgery 2024; (28(2)):967-974 doi:10.1007/s10006-024-01207-4.

    PMID: 38253979
  8. 8

    Prenatal to Adulthood: The Responsibility of the Speech-Language Pathologist on the Comprehensive Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Team.

    Sommer CL, Wombacher NR

    American journal of speech-language pathology 2025; (34(1)):12-31 doi:10.1044/2024_AJSLP-24-00230.

    PMID: 39589269
  9. 9

    Anterior maxillary distraction for cleft palate associated severe hypoplastic maxillary Class III deformity during adolescence - A case report.

    Singh H, Srivastava D, Kapoor P, et al.

    International orthodontics 2024; (22(4)):100927 doi:10.1016/j.ortho.2024.100927.

    PMID: 39426200
  10. 10

    Non-syndromic Cleft Palate: An Overview on Human Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors.

    Martinelli M, Palmieri A, Carinci F, Scapoli L

    Frontiers in cell and developmental biology 2020; (8()):592271 doi:10.3389/fcell.2020.592271.

    PMID: 33195260
  11. 11

    Factors influencing interprofessional collaboration in general and during multidisciplinary team meetings in long-term care and geriatric rehabilitation: a qualitative study.

    Doornebosch AJ, Achterberg WP, Smaling HJA

    BMC medical education 2024; (24(1)):285 doi:10.1186/s12909-024-05291-8.

    PMID: 38486216
  12. 12

    Family-Centered Pediatric Plastic Surgery Care.

    Patel KB, Pfeifauf KD, Snyder-Warwick A

    Missouri medicine 2021; (118(2)):124-129.

    PMID: 33840854

This page provides educational information about building a cleft care team. It does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult your ACPA-accredited care team for your child's specific treatment plan.

Get notified when new evidence is published on Cleft lip/palate.

We monitor PubMed for new peer-reviewed studies on this topic and email a short summary when something meaningful changes.