A Cleft in Time

BY SIMON HALL

Cleft lip and/or palate is common. Around 1 in 650 children born in the UK are affected, and they can face many challenges growing up, from eating and speaking, to problems at school and psychological consequences of the condition.

Cleft care is unusual. It requires a multi-disciplinary team to support someone for at least two decades from birth. Such young people may have multiple treatment pathways, which often include several surgical procedures, orthodontic treatment and psychological input throughout childhood and adolescence.

During MOUTHY, doctor and artist Simon Hall ran participatory pop-up workshop experiences supported by CLAPA (Cleft Lip & Palate Association) that allowed people to engage with the narratives of those affected by the condition. Participants learnt from professionals working within cleft care and used dental materials to cast their own hard palate for a collaborative final art sculpture displayed in the Dental Institute at King’s College London.