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Riley Children's Health

Cleft & Craniofacial Anomalies Program

Departments Banner Cleftcraniofacialanomalies-120715

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Cleft and craniofacial anomalies are conditions affecting the skull and face. Some children are born with craniofacial anomalies, while others develop the conditions later in childhood. The most common congenital (present from birth) craniofacial anomalies are cleft lip & palate. These conditions occur in approximately 1 in 600 newborns in the U.S.

About Our Program

About Our Program

Children with facial differences can undergo various procedures and therapies throughout their lifetime. Often, multiple specialists are required to provide comprehensive care. This can be both daunting and intimidating for patients and families.

The Cleft & Craniofacial Anomalies Program at Riley Children's Health streamlines your visits to the hospital so that multiple specialists can see your child, if necessary, and develop a unified care plan. This approach limits your visits to the hospital while providing your child with a personalized plan designed to improve health and quality of life.

Our multidisciplinary cleft and craniofacial anomalies team includes board certified doctors, therapists and nurse specialists dedicated to caring for children with facial differences. We provide a comprehensive, personalized care plan, so your child receives the most effective treatments and procedures.

Riley Children's has provided services to patients with facial anomalies since 1933. Our Cleft & Craniofacial Anomalies Program was one of the first established in the U.S. and remains at the forefront of pediatric and facial reconstruction. We continue to define the standard of care for facial reconstruction by publishing our clinical outcomes, delivering lectures regionally, nationally and internationally and actively participating in national and international surgical societies.

Our physician specialists are faculty members of the IU School of Medicine. Additionally, our craniofacial surgeons have completed a year of intensive training in the reconstruction of the face and skull after achieving board certification in plastic surgery.

We have earned recognition as an affiliate with the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association because of our high level of training and staff expertise. Our faculty members have held top leadership positions with the Ohio Valley Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Craniofacial Surgery and the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons and have been recognized as Top Doctors by Indianapolis Monthly.

We have received national recognition for the development of Camp About Face, a week-long residential summer camp for children with facial anomalies, and the Camp About Face Leadership Academy, a companion program for youth ages 16-18.

Our staff members also raise awareness of cleft and craniofacial anomalies in the community by speaking to college classes, nonprofit organizations and other groups.

Cleftcranifacial Videocta Campaboutface

Camp About Face

Camp About Face provides children who were born with cleft lip or another craniofacial anomaly the chance to be themselves, make new friendships and build lasting skills that lead to a lifetime of success.

Conditions & Services

Conditions Treated

Our pediatric specialists provide patient- and family-centered care for most related conditions. The links below provide more specific information about some, but not all, of the conditions that we treat.

  • Cleft Lip & Palate
  • Congenital Ear Anomalies
  • Facial Trauma
  • Head Shape Abnormalities
  • Hemangiomas
  • Jaw Deformities
  • Oculo Auriculo Vertebral Spectrum
  • Pierre Robin Sequence
  • Vascular Anomalies
  • Vascular Malformations
  • Velopharyngeal Dysfunction

Doctors and Locations

Doctors

Our doctors define the standard of care for cleft and craniofacial anomalies treatment. Our team includes doctors and craniofacial surgeons who have completed a year of intensive training in reconstruction of the face and skull after achieving board certification in plastic surgery.

11 Results
Laurie L. Ackerman, MD profile image
Laurie L. Ackerman, MD

4.6 out of 5 stars

(186 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Neurosurgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Spine Surgery

317.944.6201
Emma J. Cordes, MD profile image
Emma J. Cordes, MD

4.7 out of 5 stars

(157 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery

317.948.0345
Christopher M. Discolo, MD, MSCR profile image
Christopher M. Discolo, MD, MSCR

4.7 out of 5 stars

(269 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Pediatric Otolaryngology

317.944.8620
Tasha E. Hall, DMD profile image
Tasha E. Hall, DMD

Orthodontics - Dentistry

317.276.0860
Ellen M. Kresca, PA-C profile image
Ellen M. Kresca, PA-C

4.8 out of 5 stars

(138 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Plastic Surgery

317.944.3636
Katelyn G. Makar, MD, MS profile image
Katelyn G. Makar, MD, MS

4.6 out of 5 stars

(40 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Plastic Surgery

317.948.0345
Bruce H. Matt, MD, MSc,FAAP,FACS profile image
Bruce H. Matt, MD, MSc,FAAP,FACS

4.4 out of 5 stars

(226 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Pediatric Otolaryngology

317.944.6467
Joseph O. O'Neil, MD profile image
Joseph O. O'Neil, MD

4.8 out of 5 stars

(56 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Developmental - Behavioral Pediatrics

317.944.4846
Sunil S. Tholpady, MD, PhD profile image
Sunil S. Tholpady, MD, PhD

4.8 out of 5 stars

(113 ratings)

Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.

Learn About Survey

Plastic Surgery - Facial, Plastic Surgery, Pediatrics

317.948.0345
Angela M. Tomlin, PhD profile image
Angela M. Tomlin, PhD

Child Development

317.944.8167
LaQuia A. Walker Vinson, DDS, MPH profile image
LaQuia A. Walker Vinson, DDS, MPH

Pediatric Dentistry

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Locations

Locations

In addition to our primary hospital location at the Academic Health Center in Indianapolis, IN, we have convenient locations to better serve our communities throughout the state.

Riley Pediatric Plastic Surgery

4.7 out of 5 stars (476 ratings)
Score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized NRC Health Patient Experience Survey.
Learn About Survey

575 Riley Hospital Dr
Indianapolis, IN 46202

317.948.0345

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Program Forms & Resources

Program Forms & Resources

The Cleft & Craniofacial Anomalies Program at Riley at IU Health provides the following forms for parents, healthcare providers and personnel. We have also curated relevant resources from other websites and provided links with brief descriptions of the information that is available.

Forms

  • Your Visit With Us (Riley at IU Health) 92.17 KB

    This handout answers some of the most common questions we receive from parents and caregivers.

Resources

  • Cleft Palate Foundation

    The Cleft Palate Foundation serves patients and families affected by cleft lip and/or cleft palate and other craniofacial conditions.

  • AmeriFace

    AmeriFace provides educational and emotional support to patients and families living with craniofacial anomalies.

  • Children's Craniofacial Association

    This nonprofit shares educational, financial and supportive resources with patients and families.

Related Departments

Related Departments

We provide multispecialty care for a number of conditions. Below are links to our related departments.

  • Dentistry
  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Plastic Surgery

Related Stories

Related Stories

Blog Emmalynweb1

Puppy love: “He has a cleft just like me!”

08/24/22 Patient Stories

Riley kid Emmalyn Allgood and her new pup Maverick have matching cleft lips.

Continue reading

Health Professionals

For Health Professionals

We accept patient referrals from all across Indiana and beyond. Our board certified specialists are recognized leaders in clinical care, research and education.

Our current physicians have published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and have presented their work at numerous regional, national and international scientific meetings. Their research interests include evidence-based outcomes, clinical studies and translational research—all of which aim to enhance patient care and safety through improved techniques and technology.

Refer A Patient

Refer A Patient

Riley at IU Health works with referring physicians in Indiana and beyond.

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Education

Helping to train the next generation of physicians is a key priority. Riley collaborates with the IU School of Medicine to provide training opportunities for medical students and residents pursuing pediatric surgery. We also offer a craniofacial fellowship program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Education Resources:
  • Medical Students
  • Residents
  • Fellows
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Designated as Best Children's Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Ranked in 10 Specialties in 2020-21

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Indiana University Health
Find adult services at iuhealth.org


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