I have been serving on cleft missions for 35 years now. My passion and dedication to this cause started after...
About Alliance for Smiles
Our History
In October of 2004 six members of the Rotary Club of San Francisco founded Alliance for Smiles (AfS). Each of them had been involved with other cleft lip and palate organizations and collectively they wanted to create two types of programs: to send medical teams to sites to perform corrective surgery, and to create treatment centers where the protocol of cleft treatment in the United States could be replicated.
With these two dreams as the goal, Alliance for Smiles recruited Dr. Karin Vargervik, Director of the Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment Center at the UCSF Medical Center, to head the Treatment Center Program.
Why China was chosen as the first country to be approached with this concept
• There was a tremendous need for treatment as one in 350 children were born annually with the cleft anomaly
• AfS members had pre-existing relationships with the China Population Welfare Foundation and the State Family Planning Commission to facilitate the logistics. Additionally, there was an infra-structure that could be used to set up treatment centers.
• There was also an intense interest by the Chinese to learn about treatment centers and establish them at sites.
From just two missions to China in 2005, Alliance for Smiles has grown quickly. As of 2018 we have completed over 80 missions all over the world, and treated over 6,500 patients!
Our Mission Statement:
To forever improve the lives of children and communities impacted by cleft by providing free comprehensive treatment, while building local capacity for long-term care.
Leadership
Board of Directors
Karin Vargervik, DDS
VP of Treatment Centers
After receiving my dental and orthodontic education in Norway where I was born, I received a Fulbright scholarship in Boston...
Rosemary Welde, RN
Vice Chair
I was born in Philadelphia and went to nursing school there. I have lived in California since 1980. I have...
Anita Stangl
Special Adivisor
I became involved with cleft lip and palate repair programs in 1994 when I volunteered for a medical mission to...
Cecile Chiquette
Director
Cecile is Public Fiduciary and has been a board member at AfS for three years. Previously she was President of...
Victoria Cooper
Director
Chih-Chen Fang, MD
Director
I was born in Taiwan and emigrated to Canada when I was 17 years old. I went to medical school...
Tina Fischlin
Director
Mark Goings
Director
Benjamin Lam
Director
For me, AfS has been a breath of very fresh air since I joined the board more than 10 years...
John O’Connor
Director
I joined the AfS Board as a result of my friendship with, and admiration for Dr. Karl Wustrack, who has...
Jim Patrick
Director
Jim Patrick is a third generation owner of Patrick & Co. founded by his grandfather in 1873. Jim found his calling to help others when...
Jean Rosenblum
Director
Roderick Young
Director
John Goings
Treasurer
I was born in Oklahoma and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. After five years in the Air...
Honorary Board Members
Sally Peterson-Falzone, PhD
Clinical Professor Emerita, Center for Craniofacial Anomalies Center, UCSF Medical Center
Raphael “Raffi” Garcia III
Rotary International, Director
Frank Yih, Special Representative to China
Rotary International 2016-2018 Founding Chairman, Hua Qiao Foundation and Shanghai Guo Feng Charity Foundation
William Hoffman, MD
Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UCSF Medical Center
Medical Directors
Becky Steed
RN, Nursing Director
Chih-Chen Fang, MD
Director
I was born in Taiwan and emigrated to Canada when I was 17 years old. I went to medical school...
Gary Billingsly
MD, Director of Pediatrics
Karin Vargervik, DDS
VP of Treatment Centers
After receiving my dental and orthodontic education in Norway where I was born, I received a Fulbright scholarship in Boston...
Karl Wustrack, MD
Chairman of the Board
I have been serving on cleft missions for 35 years now. My passion and dedication to this cause started after...
Pat O’Flaherty
DDS, Chief of Dentistry
Rosemary Welde, RN
Vice Chair
I was born in Philadelphia and went to nursing school there. I have lived in California since 1980. I have...
Mission Directors
Anita Stangl
Special Adivisor
I became involved with cleft lip and palate repair programs in 1994 when I volunteered for a medical mission to...
Joe Brennan
Mission Director
Mary Liu
Mission Director
Mary Smith
Mission Director
Sophie Stone
Mission Director
Tina Fischlin
Director
Quality Assurance Committee
In-House Staff
Jessica Hansen
Executive Director
Paul Vazquez
Director of Operations
After working for many years in the for-profit world, I was looking for a change – hoping to do something...
Hayden Gubernick
Project Coordinator
Jeremy Rhodes
Bookkeeper
Q & A
Frequently Asked Questions
A.
Cleft lips and palates are anomalies that occur during the early weeks of embryonic development. Predisposition is the main cause, and studies indicate that other contributing factors might include folic acid or vitamin B deficiency, the use of anti-seizure medications, exposure to chemicals and infectious disease in the mother during pregnancy. Certain environmental agents have also been cited as disruptive to the normal development of a fetus.
A.
Around one in 700 babies are born with a cleft around the world.
A.
For the courageous families in under-served countries who decide to seek medical assistance on their own, very little is available that is financially feasible. With the average cost of surgery being half of what a typical rural family earns in a year, it is clear why they feel overwhelmed and without options.
Our surgeries which transform lives cost $1,000 per child.
A.
Yes, since Alliance for Smiles is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, all donations are tax deductible. AfS will supply you with a tax receipt for your donation.
A.
We have a very efficient business model which means that only .04 cents of every dollar you donate goes to our overhead expenses. This means that .96 cents of every dollar goes directly to our missions around the world.
A.
Most of our funding comes from individuals and from Rotary Clubs; we also receive many donations of equipment, supplies, and in-kind donations. Please see our Partners Page for more information. AfS pays the airfare for all medical volunteers. Non-medical volunteers pay their own way. All volunteers pay a $380 trip participation fee to cover administrative costs.
A.
There are medical volunteer opportunities for Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, Pediatricians, OR Nurses, PACU Nurses, Dentists, Orthodontists, Dental Hygienists, and Speech Pathologists. Please visit our Volunteer Page to learn more.
A.
Mission Directors, Quartermasters, Translators, Photographers, Instrument Sterilizers, Medical Record Keepers, and Patient Ward Coordinators.
Please visit our Volunteer Page to learn more.
Anyone is welcome to apply for a non-medical volunteer opportunity, however if a Rotary club is sponsoring a specific trip, priority will be given to Rotarians from that club. Volunteers must be in good physical health, as the days are long and demanding.
Flexibility is an important quality, as the responsibilities may change during the course of the mission. We also expect the commitment of volunteers to go beyond the mission by raising public awareness and conducting fundraising programs.
Spouses of volunteers may participate, as long as both spouses are volunteering as team members in specific positions.
Sorry, we do not accept minors.
A.
Traditional international efforts to repair cleft lips and palates have consisted of small teams that perform surgical procedures to correct defects. However, the initial surgery only addresses one part of the problem. Cleft patients require ongoing treatment in the disciplines of dentistry, orthodontia, speech therapy, and sometimes psychological counseling. Time and funding constraints typically make it impossible to address those needs on our short two week trips.
Even if information, expertise, and treatment were available, it would pose an impossible financial burden to the families of our target population, whose budgets are already strained by their basic daily needs for food and shelter.
Our multi-pronged approach and long-range model distinguish us from traditional international surgical teams in several ways:
- — To respond to the immediate need, we conduct two week surgical missions.
- — We provide advanced training for health care providers who are dedicated to the treatment of underserved cleft lip and palate patients.
- — We are establishing treatment centers where patients can receive follow-up and ongoing care, using the same treatment protocols used in the United States. Eventually, the centers will be owned and operated by the communities that they serve.