Annual Meeting

Hitesh Kapadia is on faculty at Baylor College of Medicine and is a member of the Craniofacial team at Texas Children's Hospital in Austin. He has been in Austin since August 2024. Prior to this, he was at Seattle Children's Hospital, where he was chief of Craniofacial Orthodontics and director of the fellowship training program in Craniofacial Orthodontics.

Hitesh is passionate about helping children and their families understand the complexities of cleft and craniofacial care and guiding them through various phases of treatment. He works closely with Craniofacial team members to manage the orthodontic needs of children with craniofacial differences.

Hitesh attended the University of Texas at Austin for his undergraduate studies and earned his D.D.S. and Ph.D. at The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. He received fellowship training in craniofacial orthodontics at NYU Medical Center. He is an active member of the American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association, International Society of Craniofacial Surgery, Angle Society (Northwest Component and now the Southwest ) and American Association of Orthodontists.

Orthodontic Considerations in Cleft and Craniofacial Care

Course Objectives:

1. Understand Cleft and Craniofacial Anatomy and Development
2. Recognize the Role of the Multidisciplinary Team
3. Assess Growth and Development in Patients with Cleft and Craniofacial Conditions
   1. Evaluate the impact of cleft and craniofacial anomalies on facial growth and dentofacial development.
   2. Interpret diagnostic records (radiographs, photographs, study models) to track growth and orthodontic needs over time.
4. Plan and Deliver Orthodontic Treatment
   1. Develop treatment plans for different stages of development, including presurgical orthopedics, mixed dentition, and permanent dentition phases.
   2. Apply orthodontic techniques and appliances tailored to patients with cleft and craniofacial anomalies.
5. Coordinate Pre-Surgical and Post-Surgical Orthodontic Care
   1. Understand the timing and orthodontic preparation required for surgical interventions such as alveolar bone grafting, distraction osteogenesis (DO) and orthognathic surgery.