Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic

The Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic (LCPC) is a venerable and influential not-for-profit organization that has been at the forefront of craniofacial care for over 85 years. Founded in 1938 by orthodontist Dr. Herbert K. Cooper in his own home, it holds the distinction of being the world's first medical center exclusively dedicated to cleft treatment. LCPC is credited with pioneering the comprehensive, multidisciplinary "team approach" to treating Cleft Lip, cleft palate, and other craniofacial anomalies, a methodology that has since become the universally accepted standard of care. The clinic's mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals across all age groups—infants, children, and adults—who are affected by Craniofacial Conditions resulting from birth defects, trauma, or disease. It achieves this through a unique, single-facility model that integrates a wide array of specialists under one roof, including plastic surgeons, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, pediatricians, otolaryngologists (ENTs), orthodontists, pediatric dentists, speech and language pathologists, audiologists, social workers, and infant feeding specialists. This coordinated care ensures that all aspects of a patient's needs are addressed, from surgical intervention and post-operative therapy to speech development, hearing care, and psychosocial support. LCPC has a strong partnership with Penn State Hershey Medical Center, with surgeons from Hershey visiting the clinic for "Team Days" to meet with patients. While surgeries (such as cleft lip repair, palate repair, and bone grafts) are performed at Penn State Hershey, LCPC handles all pre- and post-surgery meetings, consultations, and coordinates the overall treatment planning and follow-up care. Beyond its core services for cleft and craniofacial conditions, the clinic also provides general and Pediatric Dentistry through Lime Street Pediatric Dentistry, which is open to all children in the community and benefits the LCPC. The clinic is committed to providing care regardless of a patient's ability to pay, relying on community support and donations to sustain its vital work. Recent renovations have modernized the facility, increasing patient treatment spaces, enhancing accessibility, and integrating advanced technology to further improve patient outcomes and experience. LCPC also engages in clinical research to determine the most effective treatments and is an American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) approved team, ensuring high standards of care.