Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Clinic

UMC Healthcare Partners’ High Desert Oral & Facial Surgery (HDOFS) Cimarron Office hosts a monthly clinic dedicated to patients with head and facial abnormalities, including cleft lip and palate.

This specialized clinic is held every fourth Monday of the month from 1 to 7 p.m.

During each clinic, patients are seen by a multidisciplinary team of specialists who work together to address a range of needs in a single visit. The team includes experts in surgical reconstruction, genetic testing, speech therapy, hearing, dental and orthodontics, psychology and more.

Because patients meet with multiple specialists during the same appointment, visits are carefully coordinated and may extend through the evening to ensure comprehensive, individualized care.

If you or someone you know may benefit from this clinic, please call or email to receive additional information, scheduling details and updates.

Are cleft palates common?

Cleft lip and palate is the most common facial deformity, occurring in about 1 in 700 live births. Our region is particularly vulnerable because of a couple of prevalent factors: nutritional deficiencies and large Latino and Native American populations, which are statistically more likely to have cleft lip and palate.

What causes cleft palates in newborns?

The causes of cleft lip and palate are multifactorial and have been linked to genetic factors, teratogenic drugs, nutritional deficiencies, amniotic banding, chemical exposures, maternal hypoxia, and radiation. Most clefts in families are sporadic. However, if one parent has a cleft, there is a 4 to 6 percent chance that their baby will also have a cleft. Boys are twice as likely to have a cleft lip, with or without palatal involvement, while girls are more likely to have an isolated cleft palate.