What is a mission?

Operation Smile Australia coordinates medical missions to developing countries, treating children with severe, yet rectifiable facial deformities.

Craniofacial Medical Missions

Operation Smile Australia’s standard Craniofacial Medical Mission is comprised of a team of credentialed medical professionals who travel to a hospital site to treat children and young adults during a 10 day period. On a typical Craniofacial Medical Mission, approximately 10 to 20 children and young adults receive full medical evaluations and between five to ten patients are surgically treated. Thanks to our supporters, we are now able to conduct 3 Craniofacial Medical Missions a year.

Operation Smile Australia also uses these medical missions to provide educational opportunities to in-country healthcare professionals. Ranging from formal lectures, to informal workshops on a specific skill or technique, the programs are designed to meet the needs of the facility and the healthcare workers in the hospital and surrounding districts.

International Medical Missions

Operation Smile’s standard International Medical Mission is comprised of a team of credentialed medical professionals from around the world who travel to Operation Smile partner countries to treat children during a two-week period. On a typical International Medical Mission, 300-500 children receive full medical evaluations and 100-150 children are surgically treated. Thanks to your support, we are able to conduct more than 25 International Medical missions in a year.

Operation Smile also uses the International Medical Missions to provide educational opportunities to in-country healthcare professionals. Ranging from a formal medical conference, to an informal workshop on a specific skill or technique, the programs are designed to meet the needs of the facility and the healthcare workers from within the partner country.

For the current international medical mission schedule, click here.

Local Medical Missions

Operation Smile Foundations in each of our 26 medical mission countries not only support International Missions, but nearly three-fourths of our Foundations also organize year-round Local Missions. Based on the Operation Smile International Mission model, teams of in-country medical volunteers conduct local programs to take care of more of their children. As the foundations work towards self-sustainability, many foundations now have clinics, where children can be treated all year, receiving not only post-operative care, but also consultations on dental health, speech therapy, nutrition and psychology.

Missions