Our Impact
Global Impact
Operation Smile is strengthening local healthcare systems and multiplying the number of kids that can receive safe surgery and complete cleft care
each year.

Our Approach
For over 40 years, Operation Smile has evolved into a sustainable organization, strengthening local healthcare systems and helping more children each year. Our programs also provide the opportunity for local talent to train with world-class medical volunteers.
Short-Term Programs
Delivering Exceptional Care
Operation Smile delivers care through through locally-led, internationally supported programs. Our surgical programs bring together medical and non-medical volunteers from around the world to deliver exceptional care. Our local surgical programs are delivered by local professionals with the same high standards.
Months of planning by our dedicated patient and program coordinators ensure seamless logistics, patient recruitment, and essential resources. In under two weeks, we provide health evaluations, speech and nutrition therapy, dental care, surgery, and post-operative support.


Year-Round Care Centres
Comprehensive Care Solutions
Operation Smile ensures patients continue receiving the care they need long after a short-term surgical program ends. We provide year-round solutions for complex treatments beyond a single program. These centres offer free services like dentistry, orthodontics, speech therapy, nutritional counseling, psychosocial care, and cleft and orthognathic surgeries, all delivered by our dedicated staff and volunteers.
Hospital Partnerships
Collaborating for Better Care
Operation Smile partners with nearly 200 hospitals worldwide to enhance care for patients with cleft conditions. These partnerships take many forms—some provide space for surgeries, while others offer ongoing care through affiliated surgeons and healthcare providers. By working together, we create lasting avenues for patient care and foster collaboration between our staff, volunteers, and top healthcare professionals in the countries we serve.

Strengthening the Health Workforce
With your support, Operation Smile empowers local healthcare workers to deliver surgery and comprehensive care to thousands of children each year. In low-resource areas, we provide the resources and training needed to transform healthcare delivery and create lasting solutions.


Globally, 5 billion people lack access to essential surgical care, with a shortage of trained surgical teams forcing many to wait years for treatment. Nearly 80% of our medical volunteers are healthcare professionals from the low- and middle-income countries we serve.
Through partnerships with universities, nonprofits, and governments, we strengthen health systems and expand access to safe surgical and comprehensive care. Our education programs include in-person and online training in surgery, anesthesia, nursing, pediatrics, oral health, nutrition, speech, and psychosocial care—ensuring more providers can treat more patients in more places.
Results of Your Support
Our partners trust us to make wise decisions with their donations. We take that responsibility to heart and regularly report back, in both tangible numbers and stories, the impact of their gifts. Through our annual Impact Reports, bi-annual Smile Reports, or our Audited Financial Statements, Operation Smile honours our core value of integrity.
Smile Reports
Our Winter Smile Report in February and Summer Smile Report in July are opportunities for us to provide insider updates about the most recent surgical programs and signature initiatives, while showing impact through storytelling. Our most recent Smile Report PDFs are archived here.
