Dr. Larry Hartzell, Director of the Cleft Lip and Palate Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, recently traveled to Guayaquil, Ecuador, on a global humanitarian surgical trip. The volunteer teams were part of Operation Smile, which is a branch of the Global Smile Foundation. Using a holistic approach, they provided life-changing surgeries for children with cleft conditions and included supportive services, such as dental care, orthodontic treatment, nutritional guidance, speech therapy, and psychosocial support. The most recent two-week outreach program achieved the following:
- 231 patients were screened
- 188 surgical and dental procedures were performed under general anesthesia for 75 individuals
- 152 psychosocial consults were provided for 76 patients
- 75 nutrition and Feeding consults were provided
- 79 speech therapy consults were provided
- 152 dental procedures were performed for 96 patients
- 128 dental hygiene kits were distributed
“The days are long but It’s emotionally rewarding,” Hartzell said. “Changing someone’s life with a single surgery and seeing the families tears of joy is inspiring and humbling.”
