06/22/2026
Some of our favorite visits are with our patients with clefts as they continue to grow into children, teenagers, and then adults!
While some patients disappear for years at a time, follow-ups every 1-2 years are a good time for a few things:
- Evaluating for and reassuring about expected, common issues (like a small nasolabial fistula until bone grafting), versus treating early any abnormal delays with speech development or bone growth.
- Providing personal support and a sense of home and belonging for patients and families. We have a number of patients and families who we connect families with, and several other foundations and charities that combine to provide a strong network for our patients and families.
- Interacting with the team outside of surgeries to develop trust and comfort.
- Ensuring all the right specialists are being seen at the right time. This includes ENT's, speech therapists, dentists and orthodontists, genetic counselors, psychiatrists and psychologists, and more.
We do operate a little differently than most team clinics. Rather than seeing every specialist on a certain day in one clinic, we see cleft and craniofacial patients every day, and then help coordinate with other specialists as needed.
There are pros and cons to this, but our families seem to appreciate fewer co-pays if not needed, fewer unproductive visits where the actual dental or other care can't be provided, and shorter trips that are easier to schedule.
We also pride ourselves in taking care of patients of all ages. This has given us a longer perspective on treatment outcomes, more flexibility in timing surgeries for our teenagers and young adults, and accepting insurance payment for our older patients who may need treatment at adult hospitals.
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💻 craniofacial.net⠀
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☎️ (214) 241-1997
📍 Dallas, TX
📍 Plano, TX
🏥 Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
🎓 Craniofacial Fellowship Trained
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