operationsmile.org 1-888-OPSMILE OPERATION SMILE STRATEGIC PROGRAMS Operation Smile understands the consequences of living life with a cleft condition and the dramatic difference it can make to receive this intervention earlier in life as a child. While we are capable of addressing the new caseload of patients each year in many of our mission and care center-based locations, these efforts are not capable of providing care for the backlog of patients who need surgery. We will implement prevalence studies to determine the unmet need of surgical care, utilize national registries to schedule patients for care, and will deploy large- scale missions and surgical programs to eradicate this backlog. We are devoted to expanding resources over the next five years to eradicate the patient backlog. ERADICATION OF THE PATIENT BACKLOG Only 4% of an estimated 234 million surgical procedures performed each year go to the poorest third of the global population. medical professionals so they can provide treatment within their own communities and share their expertise. Through the continued support of local health systems, our objective is to mitigate financial, social and geographic obstacles, such as transportation costs and lodging expenses, which hinder a patient’s ability to seek care. Operation Smile has the expertise to create a lasting impact for the patients it serves and influence global healthcare. By taking a patient-centric approach, we’re focusing on three key areas to increase access to patient care in resource- poor environments over the next five years. Since 1982, we have worked to improve the global availability of equipment and supplies, as well as deliver hands-on training and educational programs for local “Operation Smile recognizes the implications of this on patients and the critical need to address the barriers that prevent someone from receiving surgery.”