Smile Train Announces South Asia's Best Quarter Ever

NEW YORK, April 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Last week in Hyderabad, India, Smile Train hosted the Smile Train Anesthesiologists and Reconstructive Surgeons (STARS) Conference, an event with more than 250 cleft surgeons and pediatric anesthesiologists, including Smile Train's Indian Medical Advisory Board members and global Medical Advisory Board members.

Charles B. Wang, co-founder and Chairman of Smile Train, led a delegation of senior staff to the conference and addressed the assembled highlighting the mission of the organization, "As medical professionals you know better than I, many of the children who we have reached for primary surgery need secondary procedures and other comprehensive care services like speech therapy and orthodontics. We are committed to helping Smile Train patients all the way... I fully believe that a child born with a cleft should have the same opportunities in life as a child born without one – and we will aim to do just that."

Smile Train was presented with an award from the Association of Surgeons of India in recognition of its work there and the Conference included partner surgeons and anesthesiologists from the entire region (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). Smile Train global Medical Advisory Board members in attendance included Dr. Brian Sommerlad from the United Kingdom, Dr. Judy O'Young from the USA, Dr. Hirji Adenwalla from India, and Dr. Philip Chen from Taiwan.

The event coincided with the release of Smile Train's Third Quarter record-breaking results for this fiscal year. Among the highlights, Smile Train's South Asia region had its best quarter ever with 13,734 surgeries, a 14% rise over last year. Worldwide, it was the 3rd highest quarter ever. The South Asia Smile Train region is set to perform over 50,000 life-changing cleft surgeries this year.

In South Asia and around the world, Smile Train continues to empower local medical professionals and communities, leveraging technology and innovation to create scalable and transferable programs.

Mr. Wang was accompanied to India by several members of the Executive Management Team, including Executive Director Priscilla Ma; Chief Operating Officer Robert Toth; Senior Vice President Managing Director of Regional Programs Satish Kalra, who overseas all South Asian programs; Dr. Shell Xue, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Regional Programs for China and Senior Vice President for Programs Jill Whitcomb.

About Smile Train

Founded in 1998, Smile Train is the world's largest cleft charity with thousands of partners and programs in many of the world's poorest countries. Smile Train provides free cleft lip and cleft palate surgery to children from poor families that give a child not just a new smile, but a chance at a new life. Smile Train gives financial support and training to on-ground institutions in 78 countries around the world. For more information go to www.smiletrain.org or contact Brian Dearth, CMO, Smile Train.

Contact:  Brian Dearth, +1-212-689-9199

SOURCE Smile Train