Recent whole genome analyses suggested associations between nonsyndromic orofacial cleft and up to 18 genetic risk loci (ABCA4, BMP4, CRISPLD2, GSTT1, FGF8, FGFR2, FOXE1, IRF6, MAFB, MSX1, MTHFR, MYH9, PDGFC, PVRL1, SUMO1, TGFA, TGFB3, and VAX1), each of which confers a different relative risk in different populations. Here, VAX1 is linked to orofacial cleft.