Cleft Lip and Palate Program

About us

The Cleft Lip and Palate Program at Children's Hospital Boston cares for children and adolescents with cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Our team of plastic surgeons and pediatric specialists has the experience and the empathy to get your child on the road to recovery.

Children born with a cleft lip and/or a cleft palate often have multiple medical problems that require the skills of many specialists. In addition to needing plastic surgery to repair the opening in their lip and/or palate, children sometimes have problems with their feeding, their teeth, their hearing and their speech.

Comprehensive care for children with cleft lip and palate

Our specialists not only have extensive experience treating these problems, but they are considered leaders in the field. Our team includes pediatric specialists in:'

Audiology	Dentistry
Plastic Surgery	Speech and Language Pathology
Genetics	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Otolaryngology	Psychiatry
Psychology	Social Work

Our expertise

The Cleft Lip and Palate Program treats more than 575 children each year. As one of the largest programs of our kind in the country, we provide a wide range of diagnostic, treatment and follow-up services, including:

plastic surgery to repair cleft lip and/or palate
dental and orthodontic treatment to help align teeth and treat gum problems
speech therapy to improve speech skills
hearing tests to check for hearing problems

Did you know?

Photograph of Children's clinician, John Mulliken, MD, Plastic and Oral Surgery. We offer information, education and support to you and your family.

You may be asking, "Why does my child have cleft lip and/or palate?" In this video, one of our physicians explains some of the causes of this condition.
Here's a page with links to organizations that offer support and education for parents who have a child with cleft lip and palate.