Rotaplast International, Inc.
The Smile Train partnered with Rotaplast to reach out to the children of Venezuela born with cleft lip and palate. Founded in 1992, Rotaplast's mission is to provide free reconstructive surgery to indigent children worldwide. The Smile Train funded training from August 29 - September 10, 2000 for medical personnel in Maracaibo, during which 180 indigent children with clefts were treated. Angelo Capozzi, M.D., Chief of Plastic Surgery at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Northern California and co-founder of Rotaplast, mentored this project, and now, Maracaibo has become an Incubator Site following the training.
The Smile Train has teamed with Rotaplast to aid the cleft care program at Hospital de Especialidades Pediatricās in Maracaibo, Venezuela. This hospital has been established as a charity institution where children receive free surgery and medical needs. Under the management of Angelo Capozzi, MD and Tulio Chacin, MD, The Smile Train-Rotaplast Cleft Program has provided a number of doctors with cleft training in order to better serve the number of children in need of cleft care. Through the continued Partnership between Smile Train and Rotaplast, more than 250 indigent children in Venezuela have received free cleft lip and palate surgery.
Rotaplast International, Inc.
Dr. Angelo Capozzi, M.D.
55 New Montgomery St. Suite 713
San Francisco, CA. 94105
Phone: 916.453.2054
Fax: 415-777-3335
