Cleft lip and palate are common congenital anomaly that affects appearance and many important functions in children, including feeding, breathing, and speech. Early detection, timely intervention, and long-term follow-up play a crucial role in treatment outcomes. In reality, however, many children still do not have the opportunity to access timely and comprehensive treatment due to financial hardship, limited information, or psychological barriers caused by social stigma.
Children received free screening and consultation during the program.
With the desire to accompany patients’ families and raise community awareness about the importance of early intervention and comprehensive treatment, the Department of Odonto-Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital continues to implement its annual activity: “Action Month for children with cleft lip and palate”, under the theme: “Joining hands for smiles, connecting communities – expanding treatment opportunities.” The program is organized with the support of Smile Train, an international non-profit organization that has made significant contributions to supporting cleft lip and palate treatment for children in Viet Nam.
At the launch ceremony, Dr. Do Van Can, MD (Senior Specialist Level II), Head of the Department of Odonto-Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital, affirmed that bringing the best resources and highest-quality treatment to children with cleft lip and palate has always been a key mission of this leading pediatric unit. He also expressed gratitude to Smile Train for its support and for accompanying the Hospital over many years.
In addition to surgical techniques already performed routinely, Dr. Can proudly shared a new, highly human-centered step in the treatment pathway for children with cleft lip and palate:
“Starting from July this year, the Hospital will comprehensively implement a closed-loop orthodontic program, alongside core supportive services such as speech therapy and nutrition counseling, to ensure that pediatric patients receive optimal care.”
Comprehensive treatment sponsorship package from July 2026
At the program, Ms. Tran Huyen Trang, Country Director of Smile Train Viet Nam, shared that after three years of research and completion of the signing process, Smile Train and Vietnam National Children’s Hospital will officially launch a comprehensive treatment sponsorship package for children with cleft lip and palate in July 2026. The package specifically includes:
Surgery: Coverage for all surgeries from the initial stage and subsequent stages for all children with cleft lip and cleft palate.
Orthodontics: Support from pre-surgical orthopedics through maxillary traction appliances, palatal expansion, and permanent orthodontic treatment.
Speech therapy: Full free support for children with speech difficulties.
Ms. Tran Huyen Trang shared the journey of research and the completion of the agreement between Smile Train and Vietnam National Children’s Hospital to implement the comprehensive treatment sponsorship package for children.
Speech therapy: restoring communication for children
Alongside surgery and dento-maxillofacial correction, an essential link in comprehensive treatment is restoring children’s ability to communicate. Ms. Vu Thuy Linh, MSc – Audiology and Speech Therapy Unit, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital, shared the four golden milestones in children’s language development and emphasized the role of parents:
“Everyday activities such as eating, sleeping, playing, and reading are opportunities for parents to strengthen communication and practice correct pronunciation with their child. Please trust the medical team, trust the support organizations accompanying you, and trust yourselves and your child’s ability to improve.”
Ms. Vu Thuy Linh shared four golden milestones in speech therapy that parents should note.
Families’ journey of perseverance
At the ceremony, many parents emotionally shared their journey of accompanying their children through treatment. The father of B.T. (7 years old, Hanoi) recalled:
“When we discovered that our child had cleft lip and palate at birth, I proactively searched for information and brought the child to Vietnam National Children’s Hospital for treatment with Dr. Can from the very beginning. When the child moved into the speaking stage at around 3–4 years old, our family continued to patiently bring the child to Dr. Linh’s speech therapy class to practice speaking and pronunciation. There were times when seeing my child struggle made me very emotional, but I always believed that with perseverance, things would gradually get better. I sincerely thank the doctors and the Hospital, and hope that the doctors will continue accompanying the children.”
The patient’s family shared their experience coordinating with doctors and speech-language specialists throughout the child’s treatment journey.
Free screening, consultation, and support for children
As part of the program, doctors from the Department of Odonto-Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery provided direct consultations, answered questions, and offered free screening examinations for children. Representatives of Smile Train and Vietnam National Children’s Hospital also presented meaningful gifts to children receiving treatment at the department.
Since 2010, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital, the country’s leading pediatric specialty hospital, with the support of Smile Train, has helped provide treatment opportunities for more than 1,000 children with cleft lip and palate, helping many children regain their smiles and bringing hope to thousands of families across the country.
The journey to restore complete smiles for children continues and needs the support and sharing of the whole community. Please join Vietnam National Children’s Hospital in sharing this information with families in difficult circumstances, so that every child born with cleft lip and palate has the opportunity to receive timely surgery and confidently open the door to the future.
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Contact for examination and consultation: Department of Odonto-Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery – Vietnam National Children’s Hospital
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