Since 1997, Operation Smile has conducted medical missions in 11 cities across Brazil. Operation Smile’s current programmatic focus is on the northeastern and Amazonian regions of Brazil, where residents lack access to the world-class cleft care that is primarily available in the country’s southern metropolitan cities.
In 2014, Operation Smile opened a new site in Porto Velho, and conducted patient surveys there to identify patients’ barriers to accessing surgical care. Wherever feasible, Operation Smile’s objective is to remove those barriers to care and then offer outreach and large-scale surgical programs.
Operation Smile’s global volunteer network includes 130 volunteers from Brazil, who donate their time in Brazil and all over the world. Over the last 18 years, Operation Smile has provided surgical care to more than 4,300 patients in Brazil with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial differences.
