What is a cleft team and why does it matter?
If your child was born with a cleft lip, cleft palate, or both, you'll quickly hear the phrase “cleft team.” It sounds formal, but the idea is simple: instead of you shuttling between separate specialists who never talk to each other, one coordinated group plans your child's care together.
Who's on a cleft team?
Team composition varies, but most programs include a plastic or craniofacial surgeon, an orthodontist, a speech-language pathologist, a pediatrician or geneticist, an audiologist, a dentist, a nurse coordinator, and often a psychologist or social worker. The nurse coordinator is frequently the family's main point of contact — the person who makes sure appointments, referrals, and records actually connect.
Why the team model exists
Cleft care isn't one surgery; it's a years-long sequence touching feeding, hearing, speech, dental development, and appearance. Decisions made early — say, about palate repair timing — affect speech outcomes years later. When specialists plan together, treatments land in the right order and trade-offs get weighed with the full picture in view.
What ACPA approval means
The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) maintains standards for cleft teams covering team composition, how care is coordinated, and how outcomes are tracked. Teams can apply for ACPA approval, which signals they meet those standards. It's a meaningful signal — but it's one signal among several, alongside your experience with the team, logistics, and your insurance network.
How to use this directory
Our listings show each team's hospital, location, contact information, and whether it's ACPA-approved, all traced to published sources. Use the comparison tool to put programs side by side, then call the teams directly — ask how they coordinate care, who your point of contact would be, and whether they're in your insurance network.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cleft team?
A cleft team (also called a craniofacial team) is a group of specialists who coordinate your child's cleft care together — typically including a plastic surgeon, orthodontist, speech-language pathologist, pediatrician, audiologist, and others, depending on your child's needs.
Why does team-based care matter for cleft lip and palate?
Cleft care spans many years and touches feeding, hearing, speech, dental development, and appearance. A team that plans together helps make sure treatments happen in the right order and nothing falls through the cracks.
What does ACPA approval mean for a cleft team?
The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) reviews teams against standards for team composition, patient care, and record-keeping. Approval signals the team meets those standards — it's one useful signal among several when you're choosing a program.
Does my child have to be treated at a cleft team, or can we see individual specialists?
Families can and do work with individual specialists, but the team model exists because coordinated planning tends to produce better long-term results. Talk with your pediatrician about a referral to a team near you.
This guide is general information only — not medical advice. Talk with your pediatrician and care team about what's right for your child.