Team care for the patient with cleft: UCSF protocols and outcomes

To meet the medical, dental, and psychologic needs of the individual with a complex craniofacial birth defect such as cleft lip and palate, a team of specialists must be involved. The currently accepted standards of care can only be met if the appropriate specialists work together in the diagnostic workup and in the immediate and long-term planning and execution of the various treatment modalities required. This concept is clearly stated in the "Parameters" document published by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association in 2004 (Cleft Palate Craniofac J 1993;30[Suppl]:S1-16).Not only does the interdisciplinary team care provide the best overall outcomes for the patient but also is the most efficacious and cost-effective way of meeting the goals of treatment. Interdisciplinary cleft team members should also be a resource in educating parents, students, and other health care providers and may be participants in research on prevention, interception, or regeneration. We present in this article the protocols and treatment outcomes of the University of California at San Francisco.