The University of Texas Cleft-Craniofacial Team was established in 1952 as a joint venture between the University of Texas Dental Branch and the University of Texas Medical school in Houston. It is a multi-specialty team whose primary goal is the treatment of patients with cleft and craniofacial deformities.

The Co-Directors of the Team are Dr. John Teichgraeber, Plastic surgeon, and Dr. Jaime Gateno, Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon.  The team is composed of specialists from fourteen different health specialties. The team is one of the oldest in Texas with most members on the faculty of University of Texas Health science Center. The medical specialists include genetics, pediatrics, otolaryngology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery. The dental specialists include pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, prosthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery. In addition, other essential services include social work, speech pathology, audiology, and nutrition. Each Team member is experienced in treating children with cleft lip, cleft palate and other craniofacial differences.

This team of experts comes together for the purpose of evaluating your child’s current medical, dental, and psychosocial development.  The team will make recommendations for how to best to coordinate care and develop a treatment plan for your child.  The goal of our Team is to provide the best treatment that is available today so that your child will be good-looking and healthy.

The Texas Cleft and Craniofacial Team follows the guidelines established by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and those of the Texas state Department of Health Children with special Health Care Needs services Program.  In keeping with these guidelines, your child should have periodic evaluations by a Team beginning shortly after birth and continuing throughout the growing years (until about 21 years of age).  This allows the team to view your child’s development and adjust treatment plans accordingly.  Although our team represents many specialties, your child will not see all members during a team visit.  However they are available if needed.  It is likely that you will see most of individual team members at some time during your child’s growing years.