Cleft Certification & Fellowship Programme
4.1 Programme Overview
The Cleft and Craniofacial Centre at Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, in collaboration with the Indian Orthodontic Society (IOS), offers a structured training programme in Cleft and Craniofacial Orthodontics. The programme comprises two pathways:
- Certification Course (3 modules, (January–August 2026)
- Fellowship Programme (3 months, September–November 2026)
4.2 Certification Course
A three-module certification course covering the full spectrum of cleft orthodontic care, delivered across three in-person modules:
| Module | Dates | Topics Covered |
| Module 1 | April 20 & 21, 2026 | Infant Orthopaedics — Planning, Treatment, Hands-On and Clinical Live Patient Observation |
| Module 2 | July 8 & 9, 2026 | Mixed Dentition Orthodontics — Planning, Treatment, Hands-On and Clinical Live Patient Observation |
| Module 3 | August 27 & 28, 2026 | Comprehensive and Surgical Orthodontics — Planning, Treatment, Hands-On and Clinical Live Patient Observation |
Programme Objectives — What Trainees Will Achieve
- Demonstrate in-depth understanding of craniofacial growth patterns in cleft patients
- Diagnose and formulate comprehensive orthodontic treatment plans for cleft lip and palate cases across the lifespan
- Perform orthodontic interventions for pre-surgical orthopaedics, mixed dentition management, and adolescent orthodontics in cleft care
- Collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team, including surgeons, speech therapists, paediatric dentists, psychologists, ENT specialists, and nutritionists
- Evaluate and interpret treatment outcomes using evidence-based methods
- Understand global cleft service delivery models and apply standards of care
- Gain experience in multicentric research publication and grant application
4.3 Fellowship Programme
A 3-month intensive, in-house training programme (September to November 2026) at the Sree Balaji Dental and Medical College Cleft and Craniofacial Centre, supervised by Dr Badri Thiruvenkatachari and Dr Altaf Hussain.
11 Candidates attended the interview, and 4 of them were selected for the Fellowship programme
