Alongside one-off projects which reconstruct the smiles of around 100 children over the space of a few weeks, Operation Smile also promotes sustainable development. If Operation Smile was forced to close it doors today, nearly 7,000 children a year, across 20 nations in the developing world, would continue to receive free life changing surgery from Operation Smile physicians. In each country where Operation Smile operates we invest in the creation of an Operation Smile foundation. That foundation recruits local medical volunteers, trains physicians, and raises funds and awareness for children suffering from facial deformities. These Operation Smile Foundations empower local physicians to provide free treatment to children year round. Through local projects, weekend clinics, and Care Centres local Operation Smile foundations provide free facial surgery to nearly 7,000 patients a year. Through Operation Smile educational initiatives, Operation Smile’s partner countries are given the skills to treat children on their own, with their own resources, their own volunteers, their own supplies and their own medical professionals. Operation Smile tailors educational programmes for each partner country’s specific medical infrastructure. Whether it is basic life support training for Ethiopian Nurses, a Micro Surgery exchange in India or a Speech Therapy Workshop in Jordan, Operation Smile educational initiatives are providing skills and training to hundreds of nurses and physicians each year. Medical Credentialing: Every one of Operation Smile’s nearly 5,000 worldwide volunteers undergo a strict credentialing period. Surgeons must prove a wealth of surgical experience. Anesthetists and nurses must be certified in pediatric and advance life support training. To participate in an Operation Smile programme you must be at the top of your field. No exceptions. Global Standards of Care: By November 2007, as part of the Global Standard of Care Initiative, each Operation Smile partner foundation will be supplied with the highest quality medical equipment needed to perform operations. This donation, along with the continued medical educational programmes, will ensure that every child and patient receives the highest standard of care every time. Post Operative and Comprehensive Care: Correcting cleft lip and palate facial deformities goes much further then just the operation and Operation Smile ensures that patients receive the follow up and additional care that they need. Each Operation Smile patient is seen by Speech Therapist and Dentist and many receive psychological counseling. Every patient who is operated on by an Operation Smile physician is scheduled to be reevaluated 1 week, 6 months, and 1 year following the Operation. We track our results and invest in the long term healthcare of every child.