What is a mission?

Operation Smile's standard International Medical Mission is comprised of a team of 35-40 credentialed medical professionals from around the world who travel to Operation Smile partner countries to treat children during a two-week period. Approximately 100 to 150 children are treated on a typical International Medical Mission.

Operation Smile coordinates more than 30 medical mission sites in 25 countries annually.

The International Medical Mission

A Team Approach to Patient Care

After several months of planning with our international foundations, we arrive at a mission site where we join our in-country counterparts. Essential equipment and supplies have already been shipped from Operation Smile International HQ. The volunteers unpack the supplies and set up the evaluation and operating rooms, while the biomedical technician checks to make sure all equipment and systems are in order.

The children and their families are already at the hospital, eagerly awaiting our arrival. We meet with each family, create medical charts for the patients, and provide every child with a complete medical evaluation. Each patient receives a full physical and is examined by nurses, a paediatrician, plastic surgeon and anaesthetist to determine if he or she is healthy enough for surgery. All patients receive dental exams. In addition, the team speech pathologist sees cleft palate patients to assess their language abilities. The children are then given exercises to improve their speech.

Unfortunately, we are not able to operate on every child we evaluate because of lack of time and resources. However, each parent knows their child has received a complete physical - for some it may be the first they have ever had. Many times, that evaluation reveals a medical condition that can be treated by local physicians. If so, Operation Smile refers the patient to the appropriate medical professional, often bringing the child into the country's medical system for the first time.

In the days that follow, we partner with our in-country volunteers as we perform life-changing operations on the more than 100 children who are selected for surgery. During surgery week, student volunteers provide instruction on basic health care. In addition, a child life specialist works with the children to reduce their anxiety, answer their questions, and familiarise them with the various medical procedures. After the surgery, the post-operative medical team evaluates each patient, and in-country medical volunteers provide long-term care and assistance once the international team leaves the country.

The Local Medical Mission: Self-Sufficiency in Action

Based on the Operation Smile international mission medical model, teams of in-country medical volunteers conduct local missions to take care of more of their children year round. These missions are funded, organised and staffed through the international foundations, thus promoting self-sufficient mission initiatives.

Missions