Catherine de Blacam is a plastic surgeon with special interest in cleft surgery and paediatric plastic surgery. A graduate of UCD, she completed her specialist training in plastic surgery in Ireland, as well as an Aspire fellowship in cleft surgery at the Dublin Cleft Centre.
In addition to her clinical work, Catherine has a keen interest in patient-reported outcomes and clinical research. She was awarded a MD in molecular biology from RCSI and completed a clinical research fellowship at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Christoph Theopold
Plastic Surgeon
Christoph Theopold studied medicine in Oxford and University College London. Following a research fellowship at Harvard University Medical School, for which he was awarded a Doctor of Medicine from Oxford University, he trained as a plastic surgeon in the UK and Ireland. He undertook further specialist Cleft training at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, and Head & Neck reconstructive surgery in Australia.
He undertakes the primary surgical management of children referred to the Temple Street Children’s Hospital cleft team, as well as secondary surgery for speech or appearance. He is involved in your child’s care from birth until adulthood and has a keen interest in audit and outcomes improvement.
Tim McSwiney
Orthodontist
Mr McSwiney trained as a specialist orthodontist at University College Cork and then as a consultant orthodontist at the cleft and craniofacial unit, Oxford University Hospital.
He is the orthodontic cleft lead at St James Hospital Dublin. As part of the Dublin Cleft Centre team, he is responsible for advising and providing orthodontic treatment for patients with cleft lip and palate and craniofacial anomalies. This also involves giving advice to patients who may be undergoing treatment in our peripheral centres.
Clare Cremmins
Senior Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
The Speech and Language Therapiston the Cleft Care team at St. James’ hospital works with children (5 years and over) and adults who present with communication difficulties associated with cleft palate.We also provide assessment, diagnosis, and intervention for people presenting with nasal sounding speech which is not associated with cleft palate. Speech and Language Therapists work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide a comprehensive programme of care for each individual.
Aisling O'Dwyer
Lead Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)
The Speech and Language Therapiston the Cleft Care team at St. James’ hospital works with children (5 years and over) and adults who present with communication difficulties associated with cleft palate.We also provide assessment, diagnosis, and intervention for people presenting with nasal sounding speech which is not associated with cleft palate. Speech and Language Therapists work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide a comprehensive programme of care for each individual.
Kevin Mellan
Consultant in Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Oral Rehabilitation
Having completed a five year Speciality Training in Restorative Dentistry in UCC, and gained Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Mr Mellan worked in specialist referral clinics in the UK. He undertook a Fellowship in Head and Neck Oncology and Oral Rehabilitation in Liverpool and Manchester, as well as further training in Switzerland and South Africa. Prior to commencing his post in St James's Hospital, he worked as a Consultant within the NHS in northwest England. He has interests in Maxillofacial Prosthodontics for Head and Neck Oncology, Cleft Lip and Palate, Craniofacial and Trauma patients, as well as the range of restorative dental subspecialties required for comprehensive care of these cohorts of patients. This includes the placement of dental and zygomatic implants, as well as the associated hard and soft tissue grafting procedures. In addition, Mr Mellan has an interest in the use of digital scanning and 3D-planning and printing, for the delivery of patient centred care.
