Creating Smiles, Improving Lives

Our History

“Austin Smiles’ guiding principle has always been to offer services where needed regardless of any reward, and to treat all patients to the best of our capability regardless of ability to pay.” – Dr. Jim Cullington, Founding Member

Volunteer

In 1985 and 1986, three of the first plastic surgeons in Austin, Texas – Dr. Patrick Beckham, Dr. Jim Cullington, and Dr. Jim Fox – came together, sharing their experiences doing medical mission work around the world. They wanted to advance their passion for volunteerism in the local Austin community. After a local measure was passed providing that all Austin doctors receive compensation for their “on-call” time, the three doctors felt inspired to start their philanthropic initiative with this unexpected, “extra” funding. Working with fellow doctors in the Austin Society of Plastic Surgeons and pooling these funds, the idea to provide free cleft lip/palate surgery came together in 1987. Austin Smiles – The Austin Plastic Surgery Foundation officially received its 501(c)3 nonprofit certification.

The founding members of Austin Smiles include Dr. Jim Cullington, Dr. Patrick Beckham, Dr. Jim Fox, Dr. William Barnes, Jr., Dr. Robert Clement, Dr. William Davis, Dr. Robert Ersek, Dr. William Gorman, Dr. Victor LiPalaez, Dr. Francis Morris, Dr. N.D. Moscoe, Dr. Richard Parker, Dr. David Turner, and Dr. Alfred Wilder. Austin Smiles started out doing local surgeries and supporting Austin’s Central Texas Cleft Lip and Palate Team. In 1988 the organization began going on mission trips to repair cleft lip/palate in Mexico. Since our inception, we have served over 5,000 patients and conducted over 100 medical trips to many countries including Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Micronesia, Nicaragua, and the Philippines. Austin Smiles is proud to have served under this principle for over 30 years.

austin-smiles-our-history-founding-doctors

Austin Smiles is excited to receive invitations from countries all over the world. Our predominant partnerships are in El Salvador, Guatemala, & Mexico.
Here are some communities we’ve served since 1987.

Cool Timeline

1987

January

Austin Smiles was founded

Austin Smiles - Our History - Timeline 1987 photo

1988

February

Brazil

Lives Changed: 24

March

Philippines

Lives Changed: 20

June

Parral, Mexico

Lives Changed: 57

November

Saltillo, Mexico

Lives Changed: 25

1989

February

Parral, Mexico

Lives Changed: 73

June

Saltillo, Mexico

Lives Changed: 66

July

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Lives Changed: 11

August

Saltillo, Mexico

Lives Changed: 57

1990

January

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Lives Changed: 9

March

Guatemala

Lives Changed: 25

August

Queretaro, Mexico

Lives Changed: 21

November

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 72

1991

January

Saltillo, Mexico

Austin Smiles - Our History - Timeline 1991 photo

Lives Changed: 54

April

Chiapas, Mexico

Lives Changed: 64

September

Chiapas, Mexico

Lives Changed: 23

October

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 75

1992

February

Chiapas, Mexico

Lives Changed: 73

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 54

October

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 78

1993

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 67

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 80

August

Quito, Ecuador

Lives Changed: 54

October

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 72

1994

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 81

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 83

October

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 77

1995

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Austin Smiles - Our History - Timeline 1994 photo

Lives Changed: 72

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 66

October

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 79

1996

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 64

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 67

October

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 63

1997

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 65

April

Saltillo, Mexico

Lives Changed: 11

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 41

1998

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 53

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 52

October

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 79

1999

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Austin Smiles - Our History - Timeline 1998 photo

Lives Changed: 73

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 79

November

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 73

2000

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 62

September

Sobral, Brazil

Lives Changed: 33

2001

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 120

September

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 55

2002

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 19

April

Havana, Cuba

Lives Changed: 14

May

Ponape, Micronesia

Lives Changed: 9

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 65

2003

January

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 70

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Austin Smiles - Our History - Timeline 2003 photo

Lives Changed: 38

April

Havana, Cuba

Lives Changed: 12

September

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 50

2004

February

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 70

April

Havana, Cuba

Lives Changed: 20

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 40

2005

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 69

April

Havana, Cuba

Lives Changed: 20

June

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 65

2006

January

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 60

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 50

November

Matagalpa, Nicaragua

Lives Changed: 14

November

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 80

2007

March

Havana, Cuba

Lives Changed: 24

September

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 50

2008

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 60

September

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 50

2009

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Austin Smiles - Our History - Timeline 2009 photo

Lives Changed: 44

October

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 44

2010

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 48

2011

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 49

November

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 64

2012

March

Matagalpa, Nicaragua

Lives Changed: 29

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 47

November

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 51

2013

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Austin Smiles - Our History - Timeline 2013 photo

Lives Changed: 74

November

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 63

2014

February

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 53

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 41

September

Puebla, Mexico

Lives Changed: 27

November

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 49

2015

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 46

October

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 52

2016

April

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Lives Changed: 17

June

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 43

October

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 71

2017

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 64

June

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 52

October

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 37

2018

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 48

June

Veracruz, Mexico

Lives Changed: 50

October

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 35

2019

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 32

October

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 48

2020

October

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 85

2021

October

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Lives Changed: 75

2022

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Lives Changed: 42+ Our talented surgeons, anesthesiologists, CRNA’s, speech pathologists, ENT, nurses, and non-medical staff worked tirelessly throughout the entire trip. Together we evaluated 42 patients, provided 50 surgical procedures, and transformed the lives of 30 children and adults born with cleft lip & palate. Thank you to Club Rotario..Read More

September

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Close to 100 lives changed! Guatemala 2022 That’s a wrap on Guatemala 2022! With the help of our volunteers, sponsors and donors – close to 100 lives were changed by free surgical, dental and speech care. See the breakdown below: 57 patients triaged and assessed on screening day 44..Read More

2023

February

San Salvador, El Salvador

Our team of 35 Medical & Non-Medical volunteers came together for a week of life-changing surgeries and services for children and adults born with cleft lip and/or palate. Our team was comprised of talented plastic surgeons, an ENT, anesthesiologists, CRNAs, dentists, an SLP, nurses, CST’s and other non-medical volunteers who..Read More

Austin Smiles - Our History - photo collage

Austin Smiles - Our History - Our Team photo

Our Board

Learn about Austin Smiles Leadership

Austin Smiles - Our History - Our Local Services photo

Our Local Services

Austin Smiles local impact for children and families in Central Texas

Austin Smiles - Our History - Our Medical Mission Trips photo

Our Medical Mission Trips

Austin Smiles takes 2-3 medical mission trips annually