Symposium

About

The international care and management of children born with a cleft palate has been evolving over the past many years with advances reported in all aspects of comprehensive treatment. Children in far-reaching corners of the globe who would have never received coordinated care in the past are more likely to receive treatment today with outcomes that are evolving and constantly improving. Raising awareness of the need for comprehensive global standards in cleft care is important. Furthermore, increasing our understanding of the complexities involved in global cleft care will ultimately be of benefit to us as we care for children born with cleft palate in our home communities.

A concise, comprehensive overview of cleft care from the aspects of surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, speech pathology, otolaryngology, and psychology will start the day. This will be followed by Dr. Crowley’s presentation, “Cleft Care Globally and Locally.” After lunch, there will be a Family Panel discussion moderated by Jacqui LoBosco, Ph.D., our Team Psychologist, with 3 of our Team families participating. 

Three simultaneous specialized workshops will follow, including “Clinical Skill Building in Cleft Palate Speech for the Busy Speech Pathologist,” “Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry Updates”, and “The Family as the Most Valuable Member of the Team.” These workshops provide participants with the opportunity to engage in more specialized and in-depth discussions in important areas of care and management for children with clefts and their families.

Upcoming Symposium | November 8, 2025

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Catherine Crowley

A renowned speech-language pathologist and educator dedicated to ensuring equitable, high-quality care for all, regardless of background. Her work focuses on appropriate disability evaluations, cleft palate therapy, and ethical global service. Through her teaching at Columbia University and free resources on LeadersProject.org—used in over 130 countries—she equips professionals with tools to deliver culturally responsive, evidence-based care worldwide.

A Look Back at the 2024 Symposium

Rasheera Dopson, MPH

Keynote Guest Speaker

Rasheera Dopson, MPH, our guest speaker, is a nationally recognized motivational speaker and author. Born with Goldenhaar Syndrome and VATERL, Ms. Dopson has dedicated her life to providing support, education, and inspiration to others with craniofacial differences based on her learned experience. Her uplifting and informative presentation gives a voice to individuals looking for positive ways to deal with some of the inherent challenges of living with facial differences.

Cleft Palate Symposium Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will be able to explain the roles of interdisciplinary team care for optimal patient outcomes

  • Participants will be able to describe common issues in the cleft population

  • Participants will be able to identify new techniques in cleft care appropriate to their specialty.

  • Participants will be able to identify barriers patients and families face due to psychosocial, financial, and gender-related implicit biases.

Comprehensive Team Care for Children with Clefts: Panel Moderator: Danelle Fisher, MD

7:45 AM - Welcome

8:00 AM - Surgery: Thinking for Today but Planning for Tomorrow | Reza Jarrahy, MD, Plastic Surgeon

8:25 AM - Orthodontics is More Than Just Straightening Teeth | Stanley Miyawaki, DMD, MS, Orthodontist

8:50 AM - Baby Teeth: What’s the Big Deal Anyway? | Carrie Loewen, DDS, Pediatric Dentist

9:15 AM - Speech Therapy and Then Some! | Julia Hobbs, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech Pathologist

9:40 AM - What Do Ears Have to Do With Clefts? | Abbas Anwar, MD, Otolaryngologist

10:05 AM - Discussion

10:15 AM - Coffee Break

Facial Differences: Individual Lived Experiences

10:30 AM - The Nuanced Experiences of Living with a Facial Difference and the Tension that Providers Need to Understand | Rasheera Dopson, MPH - Keynote Guest Speaker

11:15 AM - Patient Panel: Individual Experiences | Moderator: Julia Hobbs, MA, CCC-SLP | Rasheera Dopson, MPH | Ace Ellis | Lisa Fast | Jairo Ibarra

12:15 PM - Discussion

12:30 PM - Lunch

Specialized Workshops

1:15 PM - Workshops A. Cleft Speech Therapy: Do’s and Don’ts - Julia Hobbs, MA, CCC-SLP | Megan McCormick, MA, CCC-SLP | Aaron Tanner, MA, CCC-SLP | Barbara Moore, MA, CCC-SLP B. Clear Aligner Treatment for Clefts and More - Amy Gimlen, DDS, MS | Stanley Miyawaki, DMD MS | Amir Dadgar-Yeganeh, DDS, MS | Shiva Borukhim, DDS | Reza Jarrahy, MD | Aaron Tanner, MA, CCC-SLP C. Living With Facial Differences: The Family Lived Experience - Danelle Fisher, MD | Jacqui LoBosco, PhD | Rasheera Dopson, MPH | Ace Ellis | Lisa Fast | Jairo Ibarra | Aguillera Family | Garza Family | Langsdale Family

4:00 PM - Adjourn