Children’s Craniofacial Surgery
Compassionate Care for Facial and Skull Conditions in NJ
When your child has a facial or skull condition, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what comes next. These conditions can sometimes affect more than just appearance. They may also impact important functions like breathing, eating, or speaking. At Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health, we’re here to help your child live fully and confidently.
Our board-certified craniofacial surgery teams provide expert, compassionate care to children of all ages, from newborns to teens, across New Jersey. Whether your child has a cleft lip or palate, birthmark, craniosynostosis, or a traumatic facial injury, we focus on improving both form and function. Our goal is to help your child thrive, not just through surgery, but through the ongoing support and guidance your family deserves.
Comprehensive, Team-Based Care for Cleft and Craniofacial Conditions
Children with cleft and craniofacial conditions often require care from multiple specialists, not just surgeons, but also dentists, speech therapists, social workers, and more. That’s why our hospitals follow the Standards of Team Care established by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA), ensuring your child receives the most coordinated and effective care possible.
What this means for your child:
- Coordinated Expertise Across Specialties: We bring together a team of pediatric specialists, including craniofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and support staff, who work together in a unified care plan.
- Personalized Treatment Plans: Every child’s needs are unique. We tailor our surgical and supportive care based on your child’s age, diagnosis, and health history.
- Support Beyond Surgery: You’ll have access to services like social work, counseling, and educational resources, so you and your child never feel alone through this journey.
Our Locations
Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital at Hackensack University Medical CenterUniversity Medical Center
30 Prospect Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601
551-996-2000
K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center
1945 NJ-33 Neptune City, NJ 07753
732-776-3150
Answers to Common Questions About Your Child’s Craniofacial Care
Craniofacial Surgery Success Stories
What’s it like to have surgery on the face or skull at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health? Learn the answer from some of our smallest, bravest patients:
Why Choose Us for Cleft and Craniofacial Surgery?
The child is at the center, but parents are a part of every health care decision we make. We prioritize family participation and want you to be involved in every step of your child’s care — from diagnosis through treatment and recovery. At our children’s hospitals, we treat our patients (and their families) like partners.
Choosing a craniofacial surgeon for your child is a big deal, and we know you have choices. When you come to Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health, you get:
Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital are two of only six hospitals in the state nationally recognized as an American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) Approved Team.
Our craniofacial surgeons operate alongside other specialists, like plastic surgeons and neurosurgeons, reducing the number of procedures a child needs for craniofacial conditions.
We're affiliated with the only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in the region, and one of only three in the state, where patients can access 200+ pediatric subspecialists.
