Giving

We encourage you to consider supporting the Division of Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery by making a gift to the division’s Plastic Surgery Fund for Excellence to be used for research, faculty support, and education, or one of the specific areas of need below.

How Your Gift Makes a Difference

Your gift has a direct impact on patient care, education, and research, and helps us achieve our mission. Here are just a few examples:

• Funds raised for Smile Together benefit the Duke Cleft and Craniofacial team and support items like new equipment — including cleft simulators that are used for our nasoalveolar molding course — as well as the provision of access can equal care to all patients regardless of insured status. We also sponsor cleft and craniofacial community gatherings including an annual outing to a Durham Bulls game.
• Research gifts have continued to support basic scientific laboratory research in accord with the goals and intents of the original Frank Hawkins Kenan Plastic Surgery Research Lab. Areas of interest have included research in technology and techniques to improve microsurgical tissue transplantation, biosensors, and biomaterials. Current research also investigates tissue regeneration and engineering of tissue replacements.
• Gifts to the Plastic Surgery Fund for Excellence support resident and student research that is not supported by grants. This allows them to pursue areas of interest or “passion pursuits” for academic enrichment. Our annual resident research symposium highlights 20-30 such projects including cleft/craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, basic science, breast and oncologic reconstruction, microsurgery, surgical education, and health care disparity research.  

Plastic Surgery Fund for Excellence

Unrestricted funds will provide needed resources to be used by the division to promote the vision of the division to inspire and create leaders in plastic surgery. In particular, gifts are focused on project areas that directly affect student and resident education and that will promote future achievement  

Kenneth L. Pickrell, MD, and Katharine C. Pickrell Endowed Lectureship

Donated funds support an annual lecture given by a leading expert in the field in honor of the residency program’s first and longest-tenured chief and his beloved wife.

Duke Craniofacial Orthodontic Clinic

The Duke Orthodontic Clinic provides specialized orthodontic care and associated services to children and adults with cleft lip and palate and related craniofacial disfigurements. Due to inequities that exist in insurance coverage for these services, and Duke Craniofacial Center's commitment to the provision of equal care to all, philanthropic support is needed for program support and patient care.

Smile Together

Smile Together is a grassroots nonprofit organization aimed at advancing cleft and craniofacial research, education, and patient care. Learn how you can support the Duke Cleft and Craniofacial Center.

Endowed Funds 

Endowments provide a stable and sustainable source of funding for the Division of Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery. These types of funds ensure the Division’s continued excellence in and advancement of key education and training, research, and innovation, to improve patient outcomes. A few examples of endowed opportunities: 

Endowed Fund to Support a Research Year for Residents

Residents are expected to engage in academic pursuits throughout their residency training. There is a formal academic mentorship program in place to support residents in research design and execution. Opportunities are available to engage in both basic science and clinical research interests. An endowment will provide needed resources to pursue research opportunities.

Endowed Professorships

Endowed professorships provide the ultimate sustainable mechanism to support the work of the Division for the future by enabling us to attract, reward, and retain exceptional faculty members by offering resources, prestige, and recognition. They give surgeons time to accomplish great things, reach their full potential, and inspire that in the next generation.
If you would like to learn more about ways you can make an impact please contact our development partner.

How to Give

Please visit the Duke Surgery Gifts Form and select "Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery" from the drop-down menu.