May 10, 2008
Establishing Standards for Cleft Care in the West Bank and Gaza
Conference Announcement
The Palestinian Cleft Society held its semiannual meeting on May 10th at the Grand Park Hotel in Ramallah. The semiannual meetings are intended as workshops for the core committees of the society. Approximately fifty healthcare professionals participated, mostly from the West Bank in addition to members of the society’s international advisory committee.
The meeting consisted of a morning session which concentrated on establishing protocols for cleft care in the West Bank and Gaza; a protocol was proposed and discussed by all in attendance. The document of this discussion can be found on the Palestinian Cleft Society website (www.palestiniancleftsociety.com). Presentations were also given on standards for Dental and Orthodontic care, Otolaryngology, Speech therapy, Plastic Surgery, and Oral Maxillofacial Surgery; the speakers were a combination of international and local healthcare professionals.
The afternoon concentrated on establishing a National Cleft Registry for all children with clefts on the West Bank and eventually in Gaza. This will be accomplished by having all major hospitals report all cleft births through a brief survey which can be found at the Cleft Society website. The National Cleft Registry will ensure that all cleft cases are accounted for, and as an aid for future research into the epidemiology and etiology of clefting in the West Bank and Gaza.
The highlight of the meeting was the attendance and speech by the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Fathi Abu-Moghli, who gave his complete support and backing to the Palestinian Cleft Society’s mission.
Of note was large presence of Speech therapists at the meeting. These therapists were recognized for the vital, and often overlooked component of cleft care, that they represent.
9:00 AM – Introductions by Steve Sosebee, PCRF (steve@pcrf.net) Ramallah, Palestine
9:05 AM – Establishing a Protocol for Cleft Care by Khaled AbuGhazaleh, DMD,MD (kabughazaleh@hotmail.com) Chicago, IL, USA
9:25 AM – Team Cleft Care: How and Why it Works by John A. van Aalst, MD (john_vanaalst@med.unc.edu) Chapel Hill, NC, USA
9:45 AM – Otolaryngology Issues in Cleft Care by Austin Rose, MD (austin_rose@med.unc.edu) Chapel Hill, NC, USA
10:05 AM – Standards for Dental Care by Bilal Saib, DMD (saibb@yahoo.com) Raleigh, NC, USA
10:25 AM – Standards for Orthodontic Care by Moanad Acker (daker@med.alquds.edu) Assistant Dean Orthodontic Department, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem
10:45 AM – Speech Therapy on the West Bank by Itaf Arafat (itafarafat_2000@yahoo.com) Speech Therapist
11:00 AM – Defining Standards for Cleft Care by John A. van Aalst, MD (john_vanaalst@med.unc.edu) Chapel Hill, NC
Discussion over Lunch
11:30 AM – How to Establish Standards for Cleft Care on the West Bank and Gaza by Steve Sosebee, PCRF (steve@pcrf.net) Ramallah, West Bank
12:00 PM – Partnering with Hospitals in the West Bank to Determine Clefting Rates Among Palestinians by Dr. Fathi Abu Moghli, Palestinian Minister of Health (fathiabumoghli@gmail.com) and Dr. Naim Sabra, Director of Government Hospitals, (dr.naimsabra@hotmail.com)
1:00 PM Establishing a Cleft Registry – John A. van Aalst, MD (john_vanaalst@med.unc.edu) Chapel Hill, NC, USA
2:00 PM – Discussion and Lunch
December 6, 2008
Improving Speech Outcomes in Patients with Cleft Care
9:00 AM – Introductions
9:05 - Cleft Palate Repair to Optimize Speech Outcomes by John A. van Aalst, MD Chapel Hill, NC
9:30 -Objective Measures for Speech Outcomes Following Palate Repair by Itaf Arafat, MA (Azarieh) and Lynn Fox, MA (Chapel Hill, NC)
9:50 – Hearing Assessment for Patients with Clefts by Daniel King, MA (Durham, NC)
10:10 - Effects of Myringotomy Tubes on Speech Outcomes after Palate Repair by Josh Demke, MD (Syracuse, NY)
10:45 – Treatment of Speech Problems Following Palate Repair
by Lynn Fox, MA (Chapel Hill, NC) and Itaf Arafat, MA (Azarieh)
11:10 – Secondary Palate Surgery for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency by
John A. van Aalst, MD (Chapel Hill, NC)
11:30 – Speech Problems in the Absence of Alveolar Bone Grafting
by Wa’el Al-Halaby, DMD, Oral Surgery (Abu Dies) and Ra’ed Jallad, DMD, Oral Surgery (Ramallah)
11:50 – Effects of Dentition on Speech Outcomes by Sahar Alrayyes, DDS, MS (Chicago, IL) and Bilal Saib, DDS (Raleigh, NC)
12:15 – Speech Outcomes after Orthognathic Surgery
by Khaled Abugazaleh, DMD (Chicago, IL) and Fernando Jose Sandoval, DDS (Ecuador)
12:30 – 1:30 Concurrent Sessions – Cleft Palate Repair: State of the Art and VWK, Furlow Palatoplasty, Von Langenbeck repair, Bardach two-flap Palatoplasty by Brigitte Winkler, MD (Switzerland), Ra’ed Jallad, DMD (Ramallah), John A. van Aalst, MD (Chapel Hill, NC), Wa’el Al Halaby, DMD (Abu Dies), Khaled AbuGhazaleh, DMD (Chicago, IL), Fernando Jose Sandoval, DDS (Ecuador), Raul Fernando Sandoval DDS (Ecuador)
Speech Assessment in Children with Clefts by Lynn Fox, MA (Chapel Hill, NC) and Itaf Arafat, MA (Azarieh)
Feeding Children with Cleft Palate by Christine Beagle, MA (Durham, NC)
Hearing Assessment for all Infants with Cleft Palate by Daniel King, MS (Durham, NC)
November 14, 2009
The Third Annual Meeting of the Palestinian Cleft Society entitled “Dental and Orthodontic Needs of Children with Clefts” was held on November 14th at the Grand Park Hotel in Ramallah. The meeting concentrated on the Dental and Orthodontic aspects of Cleft Care with presentations touching on all aspects of care including Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics, Prosthodontics and Oral Maxillofacial Surgery. The presenters were a combination of local dental practitioners and international practitioners in Palestine on Dental and Surgical missions. The meeting was well attended by practitioners from all disciplines involved in Cleft Care.
After the educational component, a business meeting was held in which the Bylaws of the Society were presented to the members and approved in final form (See the website for a full copy of the Bylaws of the Palestinian Cleft Society). The Society also held its first elections for officers. Elections will be held annually at the Fall meeting. The following individuals were elected:
Dr. John Van Aalst was given the position of Executive Director in recognition of his efforts in establishing the Palestinian Cleft Society.
Dr. Khaled Abughazaleh was elected as the new President.
Dr. Moanad Aker was elected as Vice President.
Dr. Bilal Saib was elected as Secretary.
Dr. Sahar Alrayyes was elected as Treasurer.
Several Core Committees within the society were established, each with an appointed leader who will choose his committee members. The following Core Committees and leaders were designated.
Committees: Leader
Dentistry Dr. Ma’n Mahfouz,
Orthodontics Dr. Imad AbdelKhalek, Tulkarm
Surgery Dr. Wael Halabi, Jerusalem
Speech and Hearing Itaf Arafat, Jerusalem
Pediatrics Dr. George Imseih
Research Dr. Anas Eid , Tulkarm
These committees will be responsible for coordinating Cleft Care in Palestine within their disciplines. Individuals from each committee will act as contact people within their disciplines and will meet each year at the Semiannual Society Meeting in the Spring.
December 3, 2010
The 4th Annual Conference of the Palestinian Cleft Society (PCS) was held in Al-Bireh at the Red Crescent Society Building (Al-Hilal Al-Ahmar) on December 3rd, 2010. Dr. Mohanad Aker (Associate Dean of the Department of Orthodontics, Al-Quds University and President Elect of PCS) organized the Conference, which was entitled “Comprehensive Cleft Care: Teaching Practitioners and Raising Public Awareness.”
In keeping with the theme of the Conference, speakers from multiple disciplines presented their work. Dr. Mohanad Aker opened the Conference with a description of the need for awareness concerning children with clefts. Dr. Khaled AbuGhazaleh (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and current President of the PCS) spoke about keeping adequate records for patient treatment and shared the contents of a cleft brochure recently published by the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF).
Dr. Najwa Kamal Ersheid, MRCP FRCP, a pediatrician from Ramallah, led a question-and-answer session with the family whose child is affected by cleft lip and palate. The key frustration for the family was an inability to obtain team care. They went to multiple surgeons and health care practitioners, in order to locate treatment for their child. The father, at the end of the discussion, expressed great frustration and anger about the lack of coordination in the care for his child.The next speaker was a Prosthodontist from Al Quds University, who spoke on the topic of caring for children with clefts who develop gum-based disease. The key is prevention, maintenance of oral hygiene, and careful parental supervision of oral hygiene.Dr. Imad Abdel Khaled (Associate Professor of Orthodontics, American University of Jenin, and Chairperson of the Orthodontics and Dentistry Core Committee) spoke about teamwork and team care. He emphasized the need for coordination among disciplines and leadership. He defined a leader as someone who has vision, and can lead a group toward a common goal.
Dr. Hashem Shahin (Assistant Professor, Bethlehem University; See Picture) spoke about the Genetics of clefting in the Palestinian population. He is currently trying to map specific genes that cause clefting in Palestinians. Based on the number of questions from the audience, Dr. Shahin’s talk was extremely well received.Dr. Sayf Yacoub Sa’ed (Plastic Surgeon from Bethlehem, Palestine) spoke about perfecting cleft lip repair in Palestine. He spoke about preparing the patient for surgery, and using meticulous techniques for surgery, and then careful post-operative care as being the key to perfect outcomes in these patients. He emphasized careful markings for repair as the starting point for a perfect repair.
Dr. Sahar Alreyyes (Current Treasurer of PCS) spoke about children with clefts from the viewpoint of a pediatric dentistry. She emphasized teaching parents about the importance of good oral hygiene, which includes brushing teeth twice daily, flossing, decreasing sweet and juice intake. Because surgeons are often the first practitioners to see a child with a cleft (after pediatricians), they should be careful about teaching parents to see pediatric dentists and to emphasize the need for good oral hygiene.
Dr. Wa’el Halaby (Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon, Ramallah Government Hospital, and Chairperson of the Surgical Core Committee, PCS) spoke about training Palestinian surgeons for future cleft-related work in Palestine. Dr. Halaby spoke about identifying Palestinian Cleft Surgeons, in coordination with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, who will then work in coordination with all with all groups invited from outside Palestine to teach their techniques. The time for uncoordinated “mission trips” to Palestine without the express purpose of training surgeons in Palestine if from the past; the goal of these trips should be to empower Palestinians to treat Palestinian children should now be the goal of all involved in Cleft Care. The people present at the 4th conference represented practitioners from the following disciplines: Pediatrics, Genetics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Otolaryngology, Anesthesia, Nursing, Social Work, Speech Pathology, Audiology, Plastic Surgery, Dentistry, Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, and Pediatric Dentistry.
