Special Interest in cleft & craniofacial deformities as a subject since research shows that learning to live with a change in the appearance of one’s face as a result of injury or disease is a daunting task. It is additionally challenging for children with congenital cleft & craniofacial deformities & their parents to adjust with the same. Evidence shows that amongst the various congenital craniofacial malformations, cleft lip & palate occur most commonly, affecting over one in 700 live births. The Indian subcontinent remains one of the most populous areas of the world with an estimated population of 1.1 billion. This yields an estimated 24.5 million births per year & the birth prevalence of clefts is somewhere between 27,000 to 33,000 clefts per year.

Existing multispecialty care is primarily aimed at rehabilitation also trying to address the patients’ psychological issues like lowered self esteem& difficulties during social interaction. Inequalities exist both in access to & quality of cleft care with distinct differences in urban versus rural access & over the years the accumulation of unrepaired clefts of the lip & the palate make this a significant health care in India.

The cleft rehabilitation programme needs to be expanded in all possible directions to reach out & treat the maximum possible patients & to improve their quality of life. The need of the hour is to serve this needy set of population & to deliver the best possible care with a sheer dedication & sustained efforts.

Workshops Attended

• PEDIATRIC ENDODONTICS IN SHARAD PAWAR DENTAL COLLEGE ON 11TH OCT 2008.
  
• ROTARY ENDODONTICS ON Feb 2011 AT AMRAVATI.
  
• VENEERS AND BLEACHING ON 4TH MARCH 2012. AT AMRAVATI.
  
• POST AND CORE RESTORATION ON 15TH APRIL 2012. AT AMRAVATI.