Dr. Jessica Canallatos, prosthodontist at Oishei Children's Hospital and member of the Craniofacial Team of WNY, brings a unique perspective to cleft care as someone born with a cleft herself. Specializing in Nasoalveolar Molding (NAM), neonatal ear molding, and digital prosthetics, Dr. Canallatos is passionate about transforming lives and supporting families through complex care. Recorded live at the ACPA Annual Meeting, this conversation highlights her reflections on her late mother, her inspiring path in dentistry, and what it means to give back to a community she personally understands.

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Recorded at the ACPA Annual Meeting, a powerful hub for knowledge sharing and connection, this episode of the Our Forever Smiles podcast features Stephanie Hassen, Executive Director of the Face to Face Foundation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stephanie shares how her nonprofit raises funds and awards grants to cleft and craniofacial families across the Carolinas, along with the incredible community events that bring families together. As a mom of three, with her middle daughter born cleft-affected, Stephanie brings both personal passion and professional dedication to her mission of empowering families.

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Face to Face Organization

Vickie Stolle, speaker, writer, and certified WISDOM Coach™, is a cleft-affected individual with first-hand experience and knowledge of the cleft journey. Born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, she blends her lived experience with her professional mission of empowering children and families. As the founder of Resilient Kid Academy, she helps families foster resilience and emotional strength in their children, an often-overlooked part of cleft care. In this episode, Vickie shares her story, her insights on emotional well-being, and practical strategies for supporting kids beyond the medical side of cleft treatment.

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Resilient Kid Academy

Did you catch our conversation with Vickie Stolle of Resilient Kid Academy?

Vickie specializes in working with children and parents in the cleft community, focusing on building resilience and turning differences into strengths. Whether your child needs one-on-one Child Coaching to cultivate strong self-worth and confidently engage with others or you need guidance on effective Parent Coaching strategies for emotional support, Vickie can help you find the tools you need.

Resilient Kid Academy is a wonderful resource for making sure your child feels capable and proud every day as they navigate their unique journey.

Enjoy a 10% Discount! Simply mention you're an Our Forever Smiles listener when you schedule your complimentary discovery call, and you'll receive 10% off your first coaching package with Resilient Kid Academy.

Book your discovery call today: https://calendly.com/resilientkidacademy/15-minutediscoverycall

Returning for her third appearance, Summer Kormushoff opens up about her son's palate repair journey. She shares valuable tips for parents preparing for surgery, including practical advice and emotional insight. We also reflect on her previous episodes where she discussed receiving her son's cleft diagnosis and navigating lip repair. This full-circle conversation offers encouragement and guidance for parents at every stage of the cleft journey.

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In this inspiring episode, Laura Arroyo sits down with Stacy Swope — special education teacher, mom of two, and first-time author — to share the story of her son Benjamin's cleft journey. From infancy through the school years, Benjamin has undergone a series of life-changing treatments and surgeries, including NAM, ear tubes, cleft lip and palate repairs, a two-part buccal flap procedure to improve speech and lengthen his palate, and two bone grafts using both hip and cadaver bone.

Stacy opens up about what it's like to navigate the evolving medical needs of school-aged children affected by cleft lip and palate, the challenges and victories along the way, and the importance of creating supportive communities for families. She also gives us a glimpse into her upcoming children's book designed to encourage and empower cleft-affected kids and their families.

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or advocate, this conversation is filled with hope, resilience, and practical insight for every stage of the cleft journey.

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• A Sparkle You Carry

Dr. Mackensie McBeain, Board Certified Pediatric Dentist for the University of Minnesota Cleft and Craniofacial Team, joins us to share her expertise in cleft care. In addition to her private practice at Children's Dental Care, she provides Nasoalveolar Molding (NAM) for babies born with cleft differences. Balancing her professional dedication with life at home as a mother of three, Dr. McBeain offers both clinical insight and personal perspective. This episode highlights her role in supporting families from diagnosis through early treatment.

Laura Arroyo speaks with Dr. Vitorela about groundbreaking craniofacial orthodontics program and its impact on cleft treatment. Brought to you by the ACPA — the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association, improving outcomes for people with cleft and craniofacial conditions.

Laura Arroyo chats with Dr. Manlove about her work at UNC, her passion for education, and the future of cleft surgery. Brought to you by the ACPA — the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association, advancing education, research, and care worldwide.

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Host Laura Arroyo talks with Dr. Christopher and Dr. Weiss about their practice, social media presence, and global impact through the Forever Smiles Foundation. Brought to you by the ACPA — the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association, uniting professionals to advance cleft and craniofacial care.

In this inspiring episode of the Our Forever Smiles podcast, host Laura Arroyo talks with Luci Capo Rome, a retired advanced practice registered nurse born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. Luci shares her decades-long journey as an advocate for the cleft community, from supporting women born with cleft in the 1980s to her current role as Kansas state lead for the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act. She discusses her work with Smile Train, the Cleft Community Advisory Council, and the Cleft Community Support Council, while shedding light on the urgent need for lifelong insurance coverage for those with congenital anomalies.