Latest Blogs

Below is a list of blogs written by ACPA members and the National Office Team.

If you are interested in writing a blog, please email Alyssa Kirkman for more information.

*Disclaimer-The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association claims no responsibility for the content published by others on its web site. Published content does not imply endorsement of the organization or the content of the meetings.

Be a Mentor at ACPA’s 76th Annual Meeting

By Alyssa Kirkman posted yesterday
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Volunteer to be part of the ACPA Annual Meeting Mentor program!  We are looking for volunteers to mentor new ACPA members and first-time attendees at ACPA's 76th Annual Meeting in Tucson, April 9-13.   If you are attending, we encourage you to participate. As a mentor, you will introduce the attendee to other members and help them feel welcome at the meeting.  To participate, you must be able to attend the New Member/First Time Attendee Orientation at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, April 9, followed by the Welcome Reception. If you are interested in becoming a mentor or you would like to sign up for other volunteer opportunities, take ACPA’s biannual engagement survey ...
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Issue 56.2 of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal is now available

By ACPA posted 12 days ago
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The new issue of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal (CPCJ) is now available. All ACPA Members receive a free subscription to CPCJ - just log-in to your ACPA account to access the online version.   Not a member and want journal access?  Join now ($240 for 2018 National Active Membership) or purchase an individual subscription ($324 for print and e-access). Proportion of Orofacial Clefts Attributable to Recognized Risk Factors Janhavi R. Raut, BDS, MPH, Regina M. Simeone, MS, MPH, Sarah C. Tinker, PhD, Mark A. Canfield, PhD, R. Sue Day, MS, PhD, A. J. Agopian, PhD Short- and Long-Term Effects of Late Maxillary Advancement With the Liou-Alt-RAMEC ...
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Continuing Education for ACPA's 76th Annual Meeting

By ACPA posted 19 days ago
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ACPA’s 76th Annual Meeting is at The Westin La Paloma in Tucson, AZ, April 9-13, 2019.  Attendees are able to earn continuing education credits for attending sessions.  View the meeting schedule and highlights or download the schedule with presentation titles .  View meeting registration information and register now . All continuing education information has been posted on the ACPA website .   The table below includes the available credits for ACCME, ASHA and Nursing. ACCME ASHA CEUs Nursing CEUs Instructional Level Convention 17 1.7 17 Various Eye Openers (Group 1, 2) 2 each 0.20 each 2 each Various ...
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President’s Week: Member Research

By Bernard Costello posted 22 days ago
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Another area of interest is our recent Membership Survey, which gathered key information about what our members want most from their association. We appreciate all of you who contributed to the process and will be receiving the results soon. This important project will help the Board focus on what the membership finds most important and help us serve our patients and families even more effectively through our offerings. Stay tuned for more information over the coming months
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President’s Week: ACPA’s New Strategic Plan

By Bernard Costello posted 23 days ago
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The Board has been busy this last several months approving a new Strategic Plan to focus our efforts around our Mission, particularly to serve patients and families in the best ways we can.  We look forward to sharing this with the membership in the near future. The ACPA Board and Committees will continue to work hard for our members to bring the best programming and benefits that we can. Those efforts are all designed to help our patients and families in ways that we all find vital
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President’s Week: CPCJ Search

By Bernard Costello posted 24 days ago
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The search for a new Editor of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal is underway, and the task force is beginning to evaluate candidates for this prestigious position. It is a unique opportunity to help inform the world via the leading source of information for cleft and craniofacial care. We thank Jack Yu for his commitment over the last 2 terms. There is no doubt that he has continued the excellence that our Journal has exhibited and taken the publication even further.  Please thank Dr. Yu when you see him for his hard work, including his duty to quality and sound scientific publicatio
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President’s Week: Energizing ACPA

By ACPA posted 25 days ago
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ACPA President BJ Costello has a special message to share with our community each day this week. Today, his focus is on energizing ACPA through Development and Fundraising efforts. “One of the most important ways we serve our mission is to have the best programming at our meetings and superior resources for our patients and families.  None of that comes without optimizing our organization and acquiring support for these efforts.  With that in mind, the Board has focused intensely on energizing our Development and Fundraising efforts.  You will see more information this year on how you can help us achieve our goals. One of the most recent additions is ...
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Thank you for Supporting ACPA

By Rachel Simon posted 01-16-2019
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Happy New Year to all from ACPA and especially to all the generous supporters who made year-end gifts in 2018. We are so grateful for all who chose to make charitable contributions to further ACPA’s mission to create a world where people with craniofacial differences thrive! We work hard to do that every day and your confidence in us is humbling. From the members who “topped up” their dues with a donation, to family members who recognized the important role we play in easing their cleft journey, to our wonderful volunteer leaders who increased their giving, to those who remembered us by using AmazonSmile while holiday shopping, to those who gave through ...
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ACPA Approved Teams: The Approval Process, FAQs and More

By Erin Mallis posted 01-14-2019
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ACPA’s mission is to optimize team care for patients, and the ACPA Team Approval process plays a major part in ensuring this mission becomes a reality. The ACPA Approved Team brochure highlights the benefits of team care and includes information about the ACPA Team Approval process, team requirements and other commonly asked questions. What is an ACPA Approved Team? Teams from the US and Canada can apply for recognition as an ACPA Approved Team. This distinction is for teams that demonstrate they meet the Standards for Approval of Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Teams – standards that identify essential characteristics of quality for team composition ...
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Issue 56.1 of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal is now available

By ACPA posted 01-09-2019
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The new issue of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal (CPCJ) is now available. All ACPA Members receive a free subscription to CPCJ - just log-in to your ACPA account to access the online version.   Not a member and want journal access?  Join now ($240 for 2018 National Active Membership) or purchase an individual subscription ($324 for print and e-access). Guidelines for the Ethical Publication of Facial Photographs and Review of the Literature Katelyn G. Bennett, Steven C. Bonawitz, MD, Christian J. Vercler, MD Evaluation of Nasal Airway Volume of Operated Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients Compared With Skeletal Class III Individuals ...
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Register for ACPA's 76th Annual Meeting

By Alyssa Kirkman posted 01-08-2019
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Join your colleagues at the meeting for cleft and craniofacial specialists. ACPA’s 76th Annual Meeting is April 9-13, 2019 in Tucson, AZ. Register by January 31, 2019 to receive the early-bird rate. Meeting registration includes all eye openers, study sessions, foundational courses and social events. Advanced courses are the only sessions with an additional charge. The Pre-Conference Symposium on April 9, 2019 is a separate registration. View the complete schedule for more information.  ACPA is pleased to hold all events at The Westin La Paloma .  The room reservation link will be provided to registered attendees. Current ACPA members qualify ...
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ACPA Publication: Pierre Robin Sequence

By Alexis Giannattasio posted 01-03-2019
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Pierre Robin Sequence is a birth condition that involves the jaw, the tongue, and the roof of the mouth. This condition happens once in 5,000 births in isolated form and once in 30,000 births as part of a syndrome. ACPA offers a newly revised fact sheet called Pierre Robin Sequence, providing an overview of the condition including information from diagnosis to treatment. At about 7-10 weeks of pregnancy, the lower jaw usually grows quickly, leaving a space at the bottom of the mouth for the tongue. Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) starts when the lower jaw doesn’t grow enough, pushing the tongue to the roof of the mouth and back toward the throat. In this ...
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ACPA Announces 2021 Meeting

By Alyssa Kirkman posted 01-02-2019
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ACPA is pleased t o announce that the 2021 meeting will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The event will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center, April 24 - May 1, 2021. Future dates for ACPA's Annual Meeting include: ACPA's 76th Annual Meeting Tucson, Arizona Westin La Paloma April 9-13, 2019 Registration Opens next week. View the schedule. ACPA's 77th Annual Meeting Portland, Oregon Hilton Portland March 31-April 4, 2020 ACPA’s 78th Annual Meeting Raleigh, NC Raleigh Convention Center April 27 – May 1, 2021 #AnnualMeetin
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Renew Your ACPA Membership by December 31, 2018 to Receive the Early Bird Rate

By Alyssa Kirkman posted 12-26-2018
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Calling all ACPA Members! Your membership in the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association guarantees you access a variety of benefits . Renew your membership to continue to access everything ACPA has to offer. Renew by December 31, 2018 to receive a $10 early bird discount. There is no discount code this year – if you pay by December 31, the discounted rate will appear on your invoice. Payment must be received by December 31, 2018 to qualify for the early bird rate.  Please also consider how you will support ACPA during this season of giving. If you have any questions about membership or your membership invoice, please let us know at 919-933-9044 ...
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Happy Holidays from ACPA

By Alexis Giannattasio posted 12-20-2018
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During this holiday season, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our success possible in 2018. From all of us at the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, we say thank you and send our best wishes for the Holiday Season.   The ACPA National Office will be closed December 24, 25, 31 and January 1. We look forward to continuing to work with you in 20
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2019 Board of Directors

By ACPA posted 12-17-2018
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ACPA is proud to introduce the 2019 Board of Directors. President Bernard J. Costello, DMD, MD, FACS, Pittsburgh, PA President-Elect Patricia A. Beals, DMD, MS, Phoenix, AZ Past President Amelia F. Drake, MD, Chapel Hill, NC Vice President Lynn M. Fox, MA, MEd, CCC-SLP, Chapel Hill, NC Vice President-Elect John A. Girotto, MD, MMA, FAAP, FACS, Grand Rapids, MI   Communications Officer Jamie L. Perry, PhD, CCC-SLP Treasurer Scott A. Dailey, PhD, Iowa City, IA Board Members Patricia Chibbaro, MS, RN, CPNP, New York, NY (2019) Kelly Nett Cordero, PhD, ...
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Schedule for ACPA's 76th Annual Meeting - April 9-13, 2019 in Tucson, AZ

By Jessica Kokos posted 12-10-2018
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The Schedule for ACPA's 76th Annual Meeting is now available. This schedule is tentative and subject to change. Please visit the website for additional information. Join ACPA now to qualify for member rates to the meeting. Meeting registration opens in January 2019.   Tuesday April 9 8:00 AM 4:30 PM Pre-Conference Symposium : Cultural Competence – The Whole Team Treating the Whole Patient* This one-day session will focus on cultural competence and its impact on the delivery of services while emphasizing cultural, linguistic and social needs of patients and families. Breaks sponsored by: KLS Martin 8:00 AM 5:00 PM ...
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ACPA Publication: Help with Hearing

By Alexis Giannattasio posted 12-07-2018
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Help with Hearing is a recently revised ACPA booklet that provides information about the associated hearing issues possible when a cleft palate or other craniofacial difference is present. With updated content and a new design, this resource walks patients and families through every step of the way with hearing, from birth to treatment. Families often ask, “Why do children born with a cleft palate have middle ear problems?” Help with Hearing addresses this question and provides the following answer.  “The muscles of the soft palate are responsible for opening the Eustachian tube. When a child is born with a cleft palate, these muscles may not open the ...
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Join Your Colleagues at ACPA's Annual Meeting in Tucson

By Jessica Kokos posted 12-05-2018
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Join your cleft and craniofacial care colleagues for ACPA’s 76th Annual Meeting , April 9-13, 2019 at The Westin La Paloma in Tucson, Arizona. Attendees will learn from colleagues across multiple disciplines, explore advances in research, clinical and team-driven care, and discuss new and old ideas with those experienced in the field. ACPA welcomes all who are interested in cleft care. ACPA’s Annual Meeting is a general scientific meeting with over 300 presentations. The program includes general and concurrent specialty sessions, poster sessions, panel presentations, and short courses including eye openers, study sessions, and advanced courses. The ...
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Pre-Order Your ACPA Cleft Courage Bear Today

By Catherine Choi posted 12-03-2018
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ACPA is excited to introduce the Cleft Courage Bear in 2019. This new design – custom-made by GUND®, Inc. with stitches across the upper lip – is infant-friendly, washable, and made from high-quality plush fabric. ACPA Cleft Courage Bears fill a special role in each home, from cuddling a child on a stressful surgery day to bringing a smile to a challenging teenage time. These special bears provide unique emotional support for children and families, helping them express and navigate feelings about themselves, facial differences and the treatment process. Pre-order your bear today by filling out an ACPA Cleft Courage Bear Order Form. For more information ...
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