Welcome to the remarkable ongoing journey of Dr. Benjamin Paul, a compassionate facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon dedicated to providing life-changing cleft lip and palate surgeries in Central and South America. Explore his impactful work and the profound difference he’s making in the lives of countless individuals.
Dr. Benjamin Paul is a highly skilled and empathetic facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a unique gift and passion to repair cleft lips and palates. Cleft lip and palates can occur for several reasons such as genetics, inadequate nutrition, or part of a greater syndrome. The rate of clefts in the US is estimated at 1:2000 whereas the regions that Dr. Paul travels in central and south America have incidence rates estimated at 1:200. Having a cleft creates social and functional challenges. Imagine how hard it would be to feed babies that cannot close their lips and thus cannot suck. With a deep commitment to improving the lives of others, he has dedicated his time throughout his career to offering surgical interventions to those in need, particularly in underserved regions of Central and South America.
Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery: Dr. Paul spends 1-2 weeks each year as a lead cleft surgeon helping the underserved in central and south America. He has been to Guatemala once and Peru 6 times. During these missions, Dr. Paul and his team perform cleft lip and palate repair surgeries, addressing both the functional and aesthetic aspects of the condition. Dr. Paul and his team provide pre-operative evaluations, surgical interventions, post-operative care, and comprehensive support to patients and their families. On each trip, he performs 50-60 operations on children and adults with congenital and traumatic facial deformities.
Reconstructive Surgery: Dr. Paul has also performed numerous rhinoplasties on cleft patients abroad. He has repaired facial fractures, traumatic injury and even an anomalous facial burn after a lightning strike, He also has removed large congenital moles, repaired ear defects, as well as other facial anomalies while abroad.
Locations Served: Dr. Paul leads medical mission trips to various countries in Central and South America, including but not limited to Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru. These trips target underserved communities where access to specialized surgical care is limited.
At this time, Dr. Paul returns to Peru as the need in the region he treated was greater and he wanted to have a continuity of care of his patients abroad. While in Peru, Dr. Paul has befriended the health minister as well as local plastic surgeons from both Cusco and Lima. By forging these relationships, the local surgeons can assist in after care and there is collaborative surgical learning and expertise. Dr. Paul did not just want to visit, operate, and leave; but rather, Dr. Paul wanted to create a lasting relationship of trust and excellence for a comminty so they too would receive world class care. Dr. Paul has worked with local volunteers to start awareness campaigns to educate communities about cleft lip and palate conditions, reduce stigma, and promote early intervention and treatment.
Collaborative Partnerships: Dr. Paul collaborates with Medical Missions for Children (MMFC) and Health Missions International (HMI). Each of these US based healthcare organizations coordinate and facilitate medical missions, ensuring access to comprehensive care for individuals with cleft lip and palate. We are especially appreciative of Black and Black surgical for donations of surgical equipment used on our mission trips.
Leadership: Dr. Paul is a lead surgeon for Medical Mission for Children and leads the Cusco trip alongside Dr. Phil Chaffin. Dr. Paul is on the healthcare board for Health Missions International.
Impact: The impact of Dr. Paul’s medical mission trips is profound, restoring not only smiles but also confidence and hope in individuals affected by cleft lip and palate. See the impact of Dr. Paul’s work:
Dr. Benjamin Paul in 2014 on his first Mission Trip with Dr. Bob Ward in Guatemala. Dr. Paul is carrying his patient after surgery to the recovery room after cleft lip surgery.
In 2019, Dr. Benjamin Paul brought Dr. Lisa Curman (his mother and a dentist) to Peru. Dr. Lisa Curman was able to help provide dental care to over 200 children on that trip and assisted in the evaluation and treatment of cleft patients.
This photos a direct before and after following cleft lip surgery by Dr. Benjamin Paul in 2022.
Dr. Paul works with local surgerons from both Lima and Cusco Peru while on the mission trips as well as other US surgeons.
This patient has a bilateral (both sides) cleft lip. Dr. Paul and Dr Chaffin worked together to create this change. The photo held is before and the child is now 1 year out from surgery with a fabulous repair.
1. Donate: Your generous donations can help cover the costs of surgical supplies, post-operative care, and transportation for patients and medical volunteers. Support Dr. Paul’s efforts to restore smiles and transform lives in Central and South America.
Did you know that $300 funds a Smile for a Child; $500 funds Dental supplies for a Mission; $1,000 funds an OR for 1 Day; $5,000 funds an OR for an Entire Mission.
To Donate to Dr. Paul’s Peru trip with Medical Missions for Children – Please visit: Medical Missions for Children* Please write “In support of Dr. Benjamin Paul’s Peru trip” in the text box
To Donate to Health Missions International – visit:
Health Missions International
2. Volunteer Opportunities: Join Dr. Paul’s mission by volunteering your medical expertise, language skills, or logistical support during medical mission trips. Your contribution can make a significant difference in providing surgical care to those in need.
3. Raise Awareness: Spread awareness about the prevalence of cleft lip and palate conditions and the importance of timely intervention and access to surgical care. Share Dr. Paul’s stories and inspire others to support this vital cause.
Contact Information
For inquiries, volunteering opportunities, or donations, please contact: info@nyplasticmd.com
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