Dental consideration for the child with cleft palate

The dentist's role in the care of the child with cleft palate involves his delivery of the examination, restorative and preventive procedures, and prosthetic, orthodontic, and orthopedic therapy. The practitioner is urged to enthusiastically and intelligently render treatment to these children to the full extent of his capabilities. It also must be remembered that because of the nature of the defect, children with clefts frequently are under demanding therapy from many specialists over their years of growth and development. We must not neglect our obligation to these individuals, but priorities must be taken into consideration for the overall best interest of the patient.