Meet Our Team in the Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic

A nationally approved team of experts from more than 10 pediatric specialties

At Children’s Colorado, our Cleft Palate Team’s (CPT) goal is to care for your child’s facial difference in all stages and all areas of his or her life. We are here to help you and your child with everything from eating as infants to preparing for surgery, to providing social support, to getting orthodontics as adolescents. This dedication to your child’s health and wellbeing consistently earns us national approval from the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and Cleft Palate Foundation (CPF) for our team approach to care and outcomes.  

The Cleft Palate Team at Children’s Colorado is the largest in the Rocky Mountain Region and includes over 10 pediatric specialties, including care coordination with your child’s pediatrician. Our team of specialists may include:

Audiologist: evaluates and monitors hearing

Surgeon: pediatric surgeons with training in cleft lip and palate conditions; this can be a plastic surgeon, a craniofacial surgeon, or an otolaryngologist (ear nose and throat surgeon)

Pediatric dentist: evaluates and monitors tooth development and oral health needs

Occupational therapist: evaluates the child’s ability to feed, instructs caregivers on feeding techniques and evaluates motor development

Orthodontist*: straightens the teeth and aligns jaw
 
Geneticist or genetic counselor: screens patients for birth defects and provides counseling on other possible medical issues and recurrence risks

Nurse: provides education and coordination of the child’s clinical care/treatment plan including pre and post-surgical care

Psychologist: supports the mental and emotional needs of the patient and their family

Speech-language pathologist: evaluates speech development

Social worker: provides support services, counseling and assistance with community resources

Outreach coordinator: plans programs (like Cleft Camp) for patients and bowling parties for families, creating a sense of community and works with community groups that provide support for patients, families and local healthcare professionals.

*As part of the multidisciplinary team, the cleft lip and palate clinic includes experts from the Department of Orthodontics at School of Dental Medicine at the University of Colorado, located on the Anschutz Medical Campus, to provide patients with comprehensive orthodontic care.