Meet the Pediatric Craniofacial Specialists & Surgeons

The members of the Craniofacial team work together to develop and deliver a coordinated plan of care to meet each child’s individual needs. The multidisciplinary team is comprised of specialists in the following disciplines:

Pediatric Plastic Surgeons

The team’s plastic surgeons are physicians who have extensive experience with children who have craniofacial differences. They have specialized training in correcting cleft lip/palate in addition to more complex craniofacial anomalies. They will perform all the corrective surgeries. The plastic surgeon will examine the child and plan the scope and timing to benefit the child.


Mislen S Bauer, MD

Director, Craniofacial Center
Director, Neurofibromatosis Program

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: Clinical Genetics Associates

Clinical Interests: Craniofacial deformities, neurofibromatosis


Jordan P Steinberg, MD

Surgical Director, Craniofacial Program

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Offices: Boynton Beach, West Kendall

Clinical Interests: Cleft lip and palate, congenital facial skeletal growth disorders and syndromes, craniosynostosis, ear anomalies, jaw deformities requiring corrective (orthognathic) surgery, ear anomalies and pediatric skin/soft tissue lesions


Chad A Perlyn, MD

President, Nicklaus Children's Pediatric Specialists (NCPS) Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniofacial Surgeon

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Pediatric plastic surgery, craniofacial surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, vascular anomalies, pigmented lesions of the skin and BWS.


Ashley Ehret, MD

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Offices: West Kendall, Weston

Clinical Interests: Pediatric breast and body differences, migraine surgery, pediatric skin/soft tissue lesions and general reconstructive plastic surgery


McKay McKinnon, MD

Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniofacial Surgeon

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Offices: Boynton Beach, Palm Beach Gardens

Clinical Interests: Cleft lip and craniofacial anomalies with a focus on neurofibromatosis


See all Plastic Surgeons.

Pediatric Otolaryngologists (ENT)

The otolaryngologist (ENT) is the ear, nose, and throat doctor who will monitor and manage your child for any infections, sinus, or hearing problems.


Sandeep P Dave, MD

NCPS Chief, Pediatric Otolaryngology

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Endoscopic airway surgery, tympanic membrane repair and pediatric sleep-disordered breathing/sleep apnea


Andres F Orjuela, MD

Director, Division of Otolaryngology

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: DeCardenas & Villalonga, MD, PA

Clinical Interests: Pediatric otolaryngology


Brian Ho, MD

Pediatric Otolaryngologist//Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Airway reconstruction.


Fred F Telischi, MD

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: UM - Dept of Otolaryngology

Clinical Interests: Pediatric otolaryngology


Octavio Carreno, MD

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: DeCardenas & Villalonga, MD, PA

Clinical Interests: Pediatric otolaryngology


R. Antonio Portela, MD

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: Dr. Rafael R. Portela PA

Clinical Interests: Pediatric otolaryngology


See all Otolaryngologists.

Pediatric Geneticists

Katherine Schain, MS, CGC

Genetics Counselor

Katherine Schain is a board certified genetic counselor. She has a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Florida State University and a Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from Northwestern University. She has served as the genetic counselor for the Craniofacial Center and Clinical Genetics at Nicklaus Children's Hospital since 2000 and has extensive experience in working with prenatal and pediatric populations.


Mislen S Bauer, MD

Director, Craniofacial Center
Director, Neurofibromatosis Program

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: Clinical Genetics Associates

Clinical Interests: Craniofacial deformities, neurofibromatosis


See all Genetics and Metabolism physicians.

Pediatric Psychologists



Pediatric Orthodontists

The pediatric orthodontist is a dentist who is specially trained to straighten and align your child's teeth. Children with craniofacial anomalies usually need to have their teeth straightened as they get older. The orthodontist works closely with the plastic surgeon regarding the use of a presurgical orthopedic device to bring cleft maxillary segments closer together. Sometimes the overall goal requires repositioning of these segments prior to plastic surgery. The orthodontist is also an archivist and record keeper related to your child’s growth and development.




Idalia Lastra, DMD

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Office: Key Biscayne

Clinical Interests: Orthodontics


Melissa A Sedeno, DMD

Primary Office: Miami Lakes

Additional Office: Miami


Craniofacial Dental Specialists

Cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial anomalies usually affect a child's dental development. Teeth in the area of the cleft may be missing or improperly positioned. There may also be extra teeth or malformed teeth. In addition, affected teeth may be more susceptible to tooth decay. For these reasons, care of the teeth should begin as soon as the teeth emerge. Preventive practices with regular visits to the pediatric dentist will help to ensure the best dental outlook for your child.

  • Dental implant reconstruction – The dental implant reconstruction physician is specially trained to support children who have craniofacial anomalies that may require dental implants, facial reconstruction, or bone grafting. They work together with the plastic surgeon and orthodontist.
  • Prosthodontics – Our pediatric prosthodontist specializes in dental appliances and implants.
  • Oral maxillofacial surgeon – The oral maxillofacial surgeon is specially trained to perform reconstructive dental and maxillofacial surgery for children with craniofacial anomalies.

Pediatric Dental Residents

Dental residents from the Nicklaus Children's pediatric dental residency program participate in the Craniofacial Clinics, providing evaluation of each child's teeth and facial growth.

For patient families seeking ongoing dental care and management, Nicklaus Children's offers its Pediatric Dental Program, located at the Nicklaus Children's Doral Outpatient Center.

Craniofacial Center Nurses

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Viviana Rua
MSN, ARNP, PPCNP-BC

The craniofacial nurse practitioners work closely with the pediatricians during the health assessment process and will also help coordinate the care of the child, including doctor visits, surgeries, and rehabilitative services. The nurse practitioner serves as a liaison between the parent and the care team, becoming the child's advocate and ensuring that the child is referred to the appropriate treatment. The nurse practitioner can provide you with information and can answer any questions you may have concerning the care of your child.

Pediatric Audiologists

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Lauren Sowers
Au.D, CCC-A, F-AAA

The audiologist is an important member of the craniofacial team. The team's audiologist will be able to test your child's hearing and identify if your child has any hearing loss, regardless of the child's age.

Speech and Language Pathologists

Our speech and language pathologists will initially assist you with learning how to feed your infant. In subsequent visits to the team, the speech pathologist will evaluate speech and language, and will make recommendations that will help your child speak clearly.


Jennifer Rodriguez
MA, CCC-SLP

Jo Ann Vargas
MA, CCC-SLP

Michelle C. Prüss
MS, CCC-SLP

 


Jeanette Perez
MS, CCC-SLP
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Chantel Hernandez
MS, CC-SLP
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Chelsea L. Sommer
PhD, CCC-SLP

Craniofacial Center Research Assistant

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Marta Mejia

Craniofacial Center Administrative Staff

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Raul Hernandez
Clinic Coordinator

Raul Hernandez has been a member of the craniofacial team since April 2019 and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. He is responsible for maintaining all medical records containing the necessary documentation for medical appointments. In addition, Raul oversees the approved sequence of tasks related to supporting the Craniofacial Team. He coordinates Craniofacial Clinic by contacting other hospital departments, team members, patients, and families. Raul assists with the coordination and clerical duties for the Craniofacial Center as necessary and verifies medical appointments for all patients. He also participates in the coordination of craniofacial events.

Other specialties that work in concert with the Craniofacial Center include:

 A clinician identified with a Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists logo is an affiliate of Nicklaus Children's Health System. All other clinicians listed on the website are in independent medical practices.