In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Smile Train Philippines, will be holding Cleft Con Philippines, a ground-breaking, first-of-its-kind conference by and for the global cleft community. The virtual conference will include a series of discussions from experts who will provide education materials, tips and guidance for parents and families who have children with clefts.

The world’s leading cleft organization will live stream recorded sessions with its local experts through Facebook, which will run until February 5, 2020 every Fridays from 4 to 5pm. Interested individuals may refer to the schedule below and follow the Smile Train Philippines Facebook page for updates: facebook.com/SmileTrainPhilippines

Oral Health and Orthodontics: January 15
With Dr. Janet Pandan, President, Association of Philippine Orthodontists and Dr. Mia Go, Pediatric Dentist

Surgery and Post-Op Care: January 22
With Dr. Bernard Tansipek, Plastic Surgeon and President, Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation of the Philippines, Inc.

Speech Therapy: January 29
With Teacher Naomi Sambo, Speech Language Pathologist and Teacher Elma Latayan Speech Language Pathologist

Well-Being: February 5
With Dr. Arsenio Alianan, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology – Ateneo De Manila University and special guests: Cris Daryl Magallanes (Real Estate Professional) & Paul Marney Leobrer (Singer/Guitarist) Hosted by Ms. Menchie Silvestre of Alagang Kapatid, TV5

You may catch the 1st episode on Feeding and Nutrition aired on January 8 below:

“We are grateful for the continuous support and collaboration of our donors, partners and ambassadors who made Cleft Con 2021 possible. We hope that this will also serve as an opportunity for other patients to continue their learning and speech sessions amid the quarantine,” said Smile Train South East Asia Area Director Kimmy Flaviano.

For more information about Smile Train’s global efforts and to donate, please visit smiletrain.org. To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram @SmileTrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines.

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About Smile Train
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.ph. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact philippines@smiletrain.org.