Maxillofacial Review Board

The Southwest Washington Maxillofacial Review Board (MFRB), located at the Mary Bridge Children’s Health Center, coordinates treatment for children with  cleft lip and/or cleft palate, Velopharyngeal Insufficiency, or any other maxillofacial condition. The Board serves children up to age 21. It focuses on family-centered, community care for children and families from the southwest region of Washington State.

What to Expect After a Referral

When a child is referred to the MFRB by a provider, a nurse coordinator will contact the family, or visit them in the hospital or clinic, to determine priorities, concerns, resources and needed evaluations. The nurse will also work with the family to assist in feeding education, provide educational materials, obtain referrals to specialists and community providers, promote follow-up care and assist with other needs that the family may have.

A Team Approach

The MFRB provides evaluation, treatment, planning and coordination of care using a team approach. An individualized treatment plan is devised for each child, and the family is included in the team meetings.

In preparation for the Review Board meeting, each child may be evaluated by specialists in the community, such as: 

  • Audiologists
  • Community health nurses
  • Dentists
  • Genetic specialists
  • Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
  • Otolaryngologists
  • Plastic surgeons
  • Prosthodontists
  • Psychologists
  • Social workers
  • Speech language pathologists

An RN Coordinator forwards a written summary of the Review Board recommendations, after the team meeting, to the family and all providers involved in the child's treatment plan.

Our Standards

The MFRB is an approved team with the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and the Cleft Palate Foundation, and is compliant with the Standards for Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Teams. For detailed information of the standards, please visit the ACPA. 

The MFRB is also partially funded by the Washington State Department of Health (WADOH), and is a participating team member of the Center for Children with Special Needs (CSHSN). A multidisciplinary statewide workgroup developed the Critical Elements of Care Booklet on Cleft Lip and Palate. The guideline emphasizes the diagnosis and importance of team care.

Educational information is available to families and health care professionals by visiting the Cleft Palate Foundation. Additional links are also provided on the website.

Additional Resources

Educational information is available to families and health care professionals by visiting the Cleft Palate Foundation.