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 Alexis Giannattasio 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.

Scholarship Profile: Madeline

By Catherine Choi posted 2 days ago
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ACPA awards college scholarships annually to outstanding students born with cleft and craniofacial conditions. Madeline received one of ACPA’s 2020 College Scholarships and hopes to use it toward her dream of becoming a doctor, so she can give back to patients and families. "My name is Madeline Bravo, but I go by Maddy. I will be attending Santa Clara University in the fall and I plan on majoring in Neurobiology. I have always had a great love for the sciences and psychology, so why not merge them together? I was also accepted into the Lead Scholars Program at Santa Clara. After my time in Santa Clara, I plan on going to med school to become a doctor. Though ...
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Happy Thanksgiving from ACPA

By ACPA ACPA posted 2 days ago
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From all of us at the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, we extend our greatest appreciation to you for your support in the cleft-craniofacial community and we send you our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.  The ACPA National Office will be closed November 2
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Shop AmazonSmile and Support ACPA

By Charlene Bell posted 4 days ago
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday are right around the corner–and if you’re anything like me, you want to make the most of every purchase this season. While preparing for the holidays, I encourage you to make the most of your gift giving by shopping through  AmazonSmile. When you shop AmazonSmile at smile.amazon.com/ch/43-0793521 , Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchase to ACPA, at no cost to you. Your support this holiday season will help ACPA continue to give hope to patient and families in the cleft and craniofacial community. To learn more about how you can support ACPA, visit our website at www.acpa-cpf.org/support-acpa/ or contact me directly ...
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Support Professionals and Provide Hope for Patients This Season

By Charlene Bell posted 8 days ago
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During times of uncertainty, we frequently search for hope. This is often the case when a parent receives the news of a cleft or craniofacial diagnosis. Many times, their hope is found the moment they meet with a provider specially trained in the cleft and craniofacial field. ACPA Members and Approved Teams are often that ray of sunshine in the lives of many patients and families. They are there to tell them that it’s going to be okay. During this season of giving, please consider making a year-end gift in support of the Hope Campaign. Your support will provide hope to patients and families, whose lives are often changed the moment they are connected to ...
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Webinar Series for Patients and Families

By ACPA ACPA posted 14 days ago
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myFace is hosting a free webinar series for patients and families in the cleft and craniofacial community titled, The Difference a Craniofacial Care Team Can Make . This webinar series will launch Thursday, November 12, 2020. In this one-hour program, patients and families will hear expert perspectives to help them better understand how to navigate the selection of medical, surgical and psychosocial specialists that will help address the child’s condition. There will also be an opportunity for participants to ask questions at the end of the program. Speakers for the webinar series include Joseph G. McCarthy, MD and ACPA Member Patricia Chibbaro, RN, ...
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Issue 57.11 of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal is Now Available

By Alexis Giannattasio posted 22 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  ($250 for 2020 National Active Membership) or  purchase an individual subscription  ($324 for print and e-access). Issue 57.11 Table of Contents: Prevalence and Clinical Case Series of Syndromic and Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip and Palate in a Saudi Arabian Neonatal Population Bandar Alyami, DDS, MS, ABO, Mutaz Ali-Hassan, BDS, MSc, Ramat Braimah, BDS, FAOCMF, FMCDS, FWACS, Mansur Al-Mahri, BDS, Fahad ...
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Scholarship Profile: Ysabella

By Catherine Choi posted 10-22-2020
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Ysabella, ACPA’s 2020 College Scholarship Recipient, was born with Crouzon Syndrome. Throughout her journey, Ysabella has learned to embrace her individuality and is excited to conquer the next chapter of her life. “In the fall, I will be attending the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. I will be pursuing a Bachelor of Communications with a Minor in Art. Since I was the coeditor-in-chief of my high school newspaper and passionate about art, I believe that this degree encompasses the best of both worlds. One of my goals at UNF is to become actively involved in not only the university, but the local community, and to immerse myself in as many real-life ...
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Issue 57.10 of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal is Now Available

By Alexis Giannattasio posted 10-08-2020
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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  ($250 for 2020 National Active Membership) or  purchase an individual subscription  ($324 for print and e-access). Data Linkage: Cleft Live-Birth Prevalence and Hospitalizations in Western Australia: 1980 to 2016  Wendy Nicholls, PhD, Craig Harper, BSc, Suzanne Robinson, PhD Prevalence of Stunting in Syrian Refugee Children With Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate in Time of Crisis: A Call for Intervention  Bachar ...
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Register for the Seventh Annual CleftStrong 5K

By Charlene Bell posted 10-05-2020
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Join the  Seventh Annual CleftStrong 5K by participating as a virtual racer on October 10, 2020 to support those born with cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial differences. Proceeds from the race will directly benefit ACPA. CleftStrong was founded in July of 2014 by Ray and Chelsea Ortiz, whose son was born with a cleft lip. Shortly after he was born, with one major surgery and two months of planning behind them, they organized the Inaugural Family Fun 5K. Each year, supporters gather from near and far in San Antonio, Texas to raise awareness and support for the cleft and craniofacial community. This year, all supporters will gather virtually.   There's ...
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ACPA Webinar: T&A in Patients with Cleft Palate and/or VPI

By ACPA ACPA posted 09-29-2020
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There’s still time to register for today’s webinar, “ T&A in Patients with Cleft Palate and/or VPI ,” at 4:00 PM EST. This webinar, originally accepted as a Teaching Course for ACPA's 77th Annual Meeting, will be presented by Dr. Pablo Antonio Ysunza MD, PhD, CCC-SLP. When you register for the webinar, you can watch it live this afternoon or catch it later on demand at your convenience. This course is aimed to discuss the performance of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T & A) in patients with cleft palate (CP) and/or velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). The objectives of this course are to discuss the following questions: When should T & ...
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Save the Date for ACPA's Virtual Fall Symposium

By ACPA ACPA posted 09-18-2020
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Mark your calendars for ACPA's first ever Fall Symposium on December 3, 2020 from 12:30-5:30 PM EST. This one-of-a-kind virtual event will explore the theme of patient and family engagement in cleft and craniofacial care. The symposium will feature a multidisciplinary group of cleft and craniofacial care providers, as well as patients and families themselves–all sharing their perspectives on how to cultivate and maintain connections with the communities we serve. The Fall Symposium program will feature many engaging sessions, including the following: Team Communication and Care Plan Dissemination/Developing Effective Care Plans Panel Barriers to ...
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Issue 57.9 of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal Is Now Available

By ACPA ACPA posted 09-17-2020
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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  ($250 for 2020 National Active Membership) or  purchase an individual subscription  ($324 for print and e-access). Factors Influencing Timely Preparation of Alveolar Bone Grafting: A Survey of the ACPA Diana S. Jodeh, MD, Aleshia J. Pringle, APRN, Taryl Crisp, BSN, RN, CCM, S. Alex Rottgers, MD Sociodemographic Factors That Influence the Choice to Pursue Nasoalveolar Molding: One Pediatric Hospital’s ...
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Scholarship Profile: Kirsty

By Catherine Choi posted 09-16-2020
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Kirsty, ACPA’s 2020 College Scholarship Recipient, was born with Frontonasal Dysplasia. Kirsty studies nursing at Hinds Community College and hopes to help children who are experiencing struggles similar to those she faced while growing up. “I have always wanted to help small children who believe they are not strong enough to push through their struggles with their head held high. I want to be the person who shows them that they can triumph through their hardships–because I did. I have always wanted to help children that have or are going through similar struggles, and I think going into the nursing field is the perfect opportunity to do just that. Throughout ...
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Volunteer with ACPA

By Erin Mallis posted 09-11-2020
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How would you like to be more involved in ACPA in 2020 and 2021?  Please take the Engagement Survey to let us know if you'd like to work on the blog, participate in the ACPA Online Community, present a webinar, submit an article to the journal, work with ACPA Family Services or volunteer for a committee.  Take the Survey. We will distribute another survey in early 2021 with additional opportunities. All survey responses are due by September 30, 2020.
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ACPA Member Spotlight: Rania A. Habib MD, DDS

By ACPA ACPA posted 09-09-2020
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Rania A. Habib MD, DDS is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who subspecialized in Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery. She is a clinical instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Dental Medicine. She left a lucrative job in private practice to pursue fellowship in Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery. We asked: Why?    "My passion is treating pediatric patients. I am able to put my patients and their parents at ease with minimal effort. My happiest days are my pediatric days.    As a fellowship trained Cleft & Craniofacial Surgeon, I have the privilege of treating patients that require complex facial reconstruction. ...
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ACPA Publications for Craniofacial Acceptance Month

By Alexis Giannattasio posted 09-03-2020
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During the month of September, ACPA is joining with the Children’s Craniofacial Association (CCA) to celebrate the 16th Annual Craniofacial Acceptance Month (CAM). In honor of CAM, we are featuring ACPA publications that provide educational information about craniofacial differences. With reliable information from cleft and craniofacial experts in the field, ACPA publications such as “ Treacher Collins Syndrome ” answer common questions and can be used to spread awareness of craniofacial differences. A common question that parents have is, “Where can I find support?” The booklet provides the following information: Every parent will have his or her own ...
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ACPA is Now Accepting Nominations for Special Interest Groups

By ACPA ACPA posted 08-21-2020
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ACPA's Care Coordination SIG and 22q11.2 Related Disorders SIG are both accepting nominations for the Co-Chair position. The Co-Chair assists the chair and serves in this role for two years. The Co-Chair will automatically receive the nomination for Chair at the end of the current Chair's term.   All nominees must meet the following requirements: Be an ACPA Active Member in good standing for at least three consecutive years. Currently hold a cleft or craniofacial related position Commit to leading the SIG Discussion Forum at ACPA’s Annual Meeting. All nominations are due Thursday, September 10, 2020. Submit a nomination for ACPA's 22q11.2 Related ...
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ACPA Approved Team Self-Audit Report and Annual Team Listing Fee

By Erin Mallis posted 08-14-2020
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Due to impact on teams from the COVID-19 pandemic, ACPA is waiving the self-audit report for Approved Teams in 2020. All ACPA Approved Teams not submitting an application this year will still be expected to pay the 2021 team listing fee of $185 and verify their team listing information to maintain their approval status. Invoices and further details will be emailed to team leaders and coordinators within the next few weeks
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Register for Upcoming Webinars

By ACPA ACPA posted 08-14-2020
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ACPA offers educational webinars to cleft and craniofacial care providers worldwide.  Register  to attend a live or on-demand session today! Upcoming webinars include: Cleft Lip Repair: Measure Twice, Cut Once Thursday, August 13 th at 2:00 PM ET Strategies for optimizing audiologic assessments and minimizing sedation for young children with cleft lip/palate and craniofacial conditions Tuesday, August 25th at 4:00 PM ET Feeding Challenges in Oral Clefting: A Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Supporting Growth and Avoiding Malnutrition Tuesday, September 15th at 4:00 PM ET T&A in Patients with Cleft Palate and/or ...
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Issue 57.8 of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal is Now Available

By Alyssa Kirkman posted 08-13-2020
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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  ($250 for 2020 National Active Membership) or  purchase an individual subscription  ($324 for print and e-access). Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Chinese Children With Orofacial Cleft Jiu Lin, MD, Xinyi Fang, MD, Pin Ha, PhD, Min Fu, MD, Hang Wang, PhD A Retrospective Mixed Longitudinal Study of Tooth Formation in Children With Clefts Sarah B. Kimbrough, DMD, William G. Parris, DDS, MS, Richard ...
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