Christopher Hale '09, Shubha Soni CDM '09
The P&S Medical and CDM Dental Student Chapter of the Smile Train intends to provide students of the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Dental Medicine with an opportunity to participate in one of the most progressive charity organizations of our time. The Smile Train is a non-profit international organization that focuses on providing free cleft lip and palate surgery to children in the poorest countries of the world, who would never otherwise receive it. The benefits of the simple surgical procedure are many and range from improvement of the child's feeding and speech ability to better self-esteem and integration in society.
The Smile Train focuses on teaching and empowering local doctors by bringing in technology that allows cleft surgeries to be done safely and cost-effectively. All public donations go towards funding these programs and a single surgery costs as little as $250. In addition, scholarships for fourth year abroad rotations may be awarded to members of the chapter at the discretion of the Smile Train Foundation. The mission of this chapter is four-fold:
- To create awareness for cleft and other congenital anomalies at home and abroad,
- Educate the local community about our cause and provide helpful information for families with affected children,
- Become involved with our local cleft care center,
- Help impoverished children across the world receive Smile Train assisted surgeries.