Partnership Projects of Children’s Lifeline™ & Smiles International

• Number of patients screened for review: 30
• Number of cases selected for surgery: 10
• Surgical reconstructive procedures performed: 27
  • (reason for multiple procedures performed under the same pediatric anesthesia; it was performed this way to make best use of the opportunity for child’s overall safety with less exposure to anesthesia throughout care.)
• Relative value of cases if performed in the USA at hospital setting with specialist anesthesia , surgeons, and nursing facility charges: $453,000.00 USD

Mechanism of Patient Notifications

For this clinic there were telephone connection appointment reminders by Smiles International volunteers. This was done on the wednesday before the clinic from the Kumiai Hotel. A business meeting was held with calls made to patients operated on or seen at the last two clinics in November and May of 2024. Additional radio and television announcements were made by the Rotary Club of Tecate one and two weeks prior to the clinic.

Increase in Cases

There are still many more cases appearing within the local community and in the nearby State of Sonora after the lengthy closure of health care facilities and clinics during the Pandemic. Children’s Lifeline International/Smiles International Foundation projects are now focusing efforts at both the northern AND southern end of Baja, Mexico. This is at the heart of the mission to provide cleft lip/palate reconstruction health care to the entire Baja Peninsula of Mexico, as well as care for patients traveling from the neighboring Mexican State of Sonora. Here in Tecate van transportation is provided by the orphanage group Caring Hearts of Mexico. Group hotel accommodation are typically provided as well, since the journey takes a full day’s travel by land.

The Team

Team members working at the November 2024 TecateSmiles clinic:

Unfortunately, some of the primary cleft lip babies were either too young for safe anesthesia, or syndromic and required further growth and development before they can safely be included in this clinic’s capabilities for outpatient care. The ones not selected due to medical and anesthesia concerns were given baby care instructions, feeding bottles, and an appointment for the next clinic in spring of 2025.

An example of one of these cases is this young baby who was one month of age. The young patient was examined, treatment planned, and the parents were given extensive instructions on what to expect for the length of the child’s life in terms of surgical care. We explained that at one month of age it is not safe to place the child under anesthesia, and that the surgery will be more effective when they are larger in size. We will see them at the next clinic when the child is 7 months of age – a much better weight and age for anesthesia and the surgery.

Variety of Cases

Here is an assortment of clinic photos: the days began with surgeon screening, health assessment by anesthesiology, followed by surgeon procedure verification. The afternoon included a team huddle to confirm all preparations were complete, an initial surgery, and preoperative view of patients with their parents.

The joint efforts through Children’s Lifeline International and the Smiles International Foundation over the years have given hundreds, if not thousands, of children afflicted with facial cleft differences and deformities hope for a more normalized future, allowing them to grow and flourish in their communities. These procedures improve patients’ abilities to eat, speak, breath, hear and SMILE.

The value of these benefits cannot be underestimated, and allow these children to integrate into their communities and function as productive young adult members of the work force.

Prof. Jeffrey J. Moses DDS, FAACS
Diplomate, Amer. Board Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery President/Founder,
Smiles International Foundation