Frequently Asked Questions
About Smile Train Canada
- What is Smile Train?
- Smile Train is an international organization (NGO) that supports free comprehensive cleft treatment for people who could not afford it otherwise. Smile Train is headquartered in New York City and was founded in 1999. Since then, we have grown into the world's leading cleft charity: We’ve sponsored life-changing cleft surgery for more than 2 million children and adults with clefts in 95+ countries, trained 100,000+ medical professionals around the world, and established partnerships with more than 1,000 local healthcare facilities across five continents.
- What is Smile Train’s vision?
- Smile Train's vision is a world where every person has access to high-quality comprehensive cleft care and is able to live a full and healthy life.
- When was Smile Train Canada Foundation started?
- Smile Train operated in Canada from 2008 – 2015
- In 2023, Smile Train Canada Foundation was reestablished with a redefined purpose as a collaboration with Smile Train India to support surgeries and comprehensive care in one of our countries of greatest need.
- In India, more than 34,000 babies are born with a cleft every year. Since 2001, Smile Train India has supported more than 730,000 cleft surgeries across the country through 200+ local surgeons at 130+ partner treatment centers.
- Focusing on providing direct support to India will allow Smile Train Canada the greatest transparency with our donors and supporters.
About Clefts
- Why does Smile Train focus on clefts?
Instead of doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that like many charities, Smile Train decided to choose one specific problem that affects children and try to solve it.
We chose clefts because:
- By focusing on clefts, we can be much more effective and productive — we work with many cleft teams, hospitals, charities, research programs, and educational institutions around the world.
- Clefts are a significant problem affecting the lives of millions of vulnerable children
- A surgical cure for clefts has already been found.
- The impact of cleft surgery is dramatic, immediate, and permanent! This is one of the best low-cost, high-impact interventions in the world — a true modern day medical miracle that changes a child’s life forever.
- Once a cleft is treated, it never comes back!
- Do only low- and middle-income countries have a problem with clefts?
- Babies are born with clefts everywhere in the world, including Canada, but you seldom see untreated clefts here because they are treated soon after birth. Clefts are usually NOT treated so routinely in low- and middle-income countries because most families in those places cannot afford surgery and the government does not subsidize it.
- What is a cleft?
- A cleft occurs when certain body parts and structures do not fuse together during fetal development. Clefts are a common birth difference that can involve the lip and/or the roof of the mouth. Due to poverty, limited awareness, and lack of medical resources, the vast majority of babies with clefts are at risk of never receiving the surgery they need to eat, breathe, speak, hear, and often even survive childhood. That’s why Smile Train is working 365 days a year to help these children in need.
- Why are you only supporting India? What about the other countries Smile Train serves?
- Smile Train Canada Foundation is collaborating directly with Smile Train India to support surgeries and other comprehensive cleft care in one of the world’s areas of greatest need.
- In India, more than 34,000 babies are born with a cleft every year. Since 2001, Smile Train India has supported more than 730,000 cleft surgeries across the country through 200+ local surgeons at 130+ partner treatment centers.
- Focusing on providing direct support to India will allow Smile Train Canada the greatest transparency with our donors and supporters.
- In the future, our reach may stretch further!
- Is India the only country affected by clefts?
- Clefts are one of the most common birth differences, affecting one in every 700 babies globally, and 35,000+ in India each year. Without treatment, many of these children will face difficulties eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. However, patients from economically weaker backgrounds often lack information about treatment and can’t afford the cost of surgery.
- Can I donate specifically to speech/dental/orthodontics in India?
- Yes, if you would like to restrict your donation to a specific area of comprehensive care, you may do so by contacting the Director of Development, Canada.
About Donating
- Is Smile Train Canada Foundation a registered charity?
- Yes, Smile Train Canada Foundation became an active registered charity in September 2023. Our registration number is: 742997927 RR 0001
- What do you spend on overhead?
- Our goal is to be the most well-managed and cost-efficient charity in the world. To view a percentage breakdown of our total expenses, please read our Financials
- Where do I mail donations?
Smile Train Canada Foundation
174 Spadina Ave. Suite 404
Toronto, ON
M5T 2C2
- What does it cost Smile Train to sponsor a cleft surgery?
- Though costs can vary widely depending on where the surgery is performed and the exact procedure each patient requires, a cleft surgery that will change a child's life forever costs on average $550 CAD.
About Fundraising and Volunteering
- Does Smile Train need volunteers?
- Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Smile Train! Through our “teach a man to fish” model, we empower local medical professionals in 75+ countries to treat children in their own communities. These professionals then go on to train their peers, creating a long-term, sustainable system. This focus on local empowerment does not allow for on-site or medical volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in seeing Smile Train's impact first-hand, we urge you to explore opportunities to visit our partners and patients in the field through our Journey of Smiles program.
- If you are interested in dedicating your time and talents to Smile Train a little closer to home, email info@smiletraincanada.org to inquire about local volunteer opportunities.
- Is Smile Train different from other cleft organizations?
- Smile Train is the largest cleft-focused global NGO, with a sustainable model of supporting cleft treatment through empowering local medical professionals. Since our founding in 1999, Smile Train has supported more cleft surgeries than all other global charities combined. The traditional model of flying doctors into low- and middle-income countries for short-term programs and medical missions is NOT cost effective or sustainable. Smile Train has always championed partnering directly with local hospitals and other medical facilities. This strengthens regional healthcare systems and empowers local professionals to offer world-class surgical services and other comprehensive cleft care in their own communities. Supporting Smile Train gives children access to a full range of cleft treatment services they would have otherwise never received, and ultimately, the opportunity for a better life.
- Dr. Shruti Bijapur shares more on this in her story, “Dr. Shruti Bijapur Levels the Playing Field for Children with Clefts in India."
About Programs
- What follow-up services does Smile Train support?
- When Smile Train was founded, we were only able to support the initial cleft surgery. As we have expanded and our resources have grown, we are very happy to now fund not only free follow-up surgeries, but also nutritional support, speech therapy, orthodontics programs, and other essential cleft care services at a number of our partner treatment centers.
- How many Smile Train partners are there in India? Where are they?
- We partner with more than 130 healthcare facilities in India.
- To start, Smile Train Canada Foundation will be directly supporting nine partners in India across three states: Punjab, Haryana, and Kerala. If you would like to restrict your donation to a partner in a different area of India, you may do so by contacting the Director of Development, Canada at cdickson@smiletrain.org.