Virtual surgery brings back smiles

Millions of children worldwide are born with defects known as cleft lips and palates. These defects cause major deformities to a person's face, and can lead to other health problems. Unfortunately, many children with such defects cannot afford the surgery required to correct the problem. The Smile Train is a charity which provides free training, education and equipment to help local doctors perform reconstructive surgery on children in poorer countries. The, factors making The Smile Train a success include a global network of partners and programs in combination with leveraging technology to accelerate learning results. The technology comes in three forms: an online searchable library containing thousands of research articles related to cleft surgery; Smile Train Express, a free, secure, Web-based patient database accessible to the global cleft community; and a virtual surgery CD-ROM collection that includes training videos. The CD-ROM content leverages the power of virtual technology and advanced 3D animation software.