Cleft Lip and Palate

About the Cleft Lip and Palate Program

Our Cleft Lip and Palate Program assesses and treats patients who with cleft lip/palate, craniofacial and speech and language resonance issues. We accept patients of all ages.

CHEO’s Cleft Lip and Palate Program works in close partnership with the following CHEO clinics, services and programs:

  • ENT
  • Dental
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Audiology
  • Speech Language Pathology

About our team

The team includes a Registered Nurse (Nurse Coordinator), Plastic Surgeon, Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist, Dentist, Orthodontist, Dental Hygienist, Dental Assistants, Speech Language Pathologist and Audiologists. The first contact with the team will likely be the Nurse Coordinator who will help you navigate the program.

Information for children, youth and families

Please sign up for a MyChart account before your first visit. Our scheduling team will call you to schedule an appointment.

Missed Appointments & Late Cancellations
CHEO is committed to providing timely care for children, youth, and families. If this is your first appointment in a clinic or department and you miss two appointments without giving at least 48 hours’ notice, your referral will be returned to the care provider who submitted it. They can then follow up with you to confirm whether you still need or wish to proceed with the referral.

We understand life happens and unforeseen events come up. Please notify us as early as possible by calling 613-737-7600 x2385 — ideally at least 48 hours in advance — if you need to cancel or reschedule. This helps us offer the appointment to another family and keep wait times as short as possible. A cancellation 48 hours or more in advance will not count as a missed appointment.

If you need to reschedule any other CHEO appointments, please call 613-737-7600 x2222.

The Nurse Coordinator will go over any necessary information before your appointment. If you have any questions, please call 613-737-7600 x2385.

Frequently asked questions

All patients must be referred by a Physician, Nurse Practitioner or Speech Language Pathologist. After a referral is received, we will notify the referring provider whether the referral has been accepted or denied. If accepted, we will provide an estimated wait time. This wait time can vary based on demand and urgency. Once we have an appointment spot to offer, our Nurse Coordinator will call you to schedule an appointment.

  • For any emergency, call 911. This includes emergencies involving your child’s Cleft Lip and Palate-related concerns.

  • For patients who are being followed by the Cleft Lip and Palate Program: For patients who have seen a CHEO Cleft Lip and Palate Provider, call your Nurse Coordinator or send a direct message to them through MyChart. This is not for urgent calls.

Sign up for MyChart to access your CHEO health record anywhere, any time.
MyChart is a secure, online patient portal that connects you to parts of your CHEO electronic health record and allows you to send two-way secure communication to your care team, complete any questionnaires your care team sends and much more.
To learn more about MyChart and sign up, visit our MyChart page and fill out the MyChart Access Request Form.

Looking for more resources or supports on Cleft Lip and Palate?

Visit American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association's website.

Information for healthcare providers

Make a referral

Our clinic is now accepting e-referrals with Ocean!

If you’re already on Ocean, look us up via your account by searching "CHEO".
If you don’t yet have an Ocean account, no problem - signing up is free.

You can make an e-referral using Ocean, or send a referral by mail or fax to our address below.

Reason for referral Criteria
Newborn needing assessment Has a cleft lip or palate, or other craniofacial condition 
Patient transfers from other programs  Has a cleft lip or palate, or other craniofacial condition 
Resonance issues from speech  Needing assessment for resonance/hypernasality 
Prenatal families with ultrasound diagnosis of cleft lip or palate or other craniofacial condition  Has an ultrasound diagnosis of cleft lip or palate or other craniofacial condition 

Other information 

Once your patient has been referred to CHEO’s Cleft Lip and Palate Program, the Nurse Coordinator will facilitate referrals to any other required CHEO clinic, services and programs included in the program. 

Contacts us

Contact our nurse coordinator for more information: 613-737-7600 x2385

Cleft Lip and Palate Program 
CHEO 
401 Smyth Road 
Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1 

Tel: 613-737-7600 x2385
Fax: 613-738-4245 

Have you registered for MyChart?

MyChart is a free, secure, online patient portal that connects patients to parts of their CHEO electronic health record, anywhere, at any time.