HEBER, Calif. — A groundbreaking dental facility aimed at treating children with special needs is set to open in Heber, offering long-awaited care for families in Imperial County.
At a meeting held Tuesday, May 20, Dr. Maxmillian Chambers presented plans for a new dental ambulatory surgical center designed to serve children with developmental disabilities and complex medical conditions. The initiative, he said, aims to end a long-standing crisis of delayed and inaccessible dental care for vulnerable populations in the region.
“For years, families in Imperial County have been forced to wait months—or even years—for treatment,” Chambers told the Imperial County Board of Supervisors. “Many have had to travel to San Diego, Arizona, or Mexicali just to access basic dental procedures. This new center changes that.”
The facility will be the first of its kind in the nation to fully integrate artificial intelligence into a maximally desensitized ambulatory surgical environment. Chambers credited a $5 million seed grant from the California Health Facilities Financing Authority for making the center possible.
He said the center will use AI to enhance diagnostics and optimize care, and that he is in active talks with Silicon Valley tech companies to explore these innovations further.
Once open, the Heber facility will provide specialized pediatric dental procedures, including treatments for conditions such as cleft palates. Chambers emphasized that this marks a major shift in care availability for the Imperial Valley—an area historically underserved when it comes to dental surgery for children with special needs.
“This is the first time in recent memory that patients from outside counties will be referred into Imperial County for specialized dental care,” he said, calling it a milestone for the region.
Dr. Chambers, who previously spoke to CalMatters about the dental care shortage in the Imperial Valley, underscored the urgency of the project.
“I want to make a difference,” he said. “Families shouldn’t have to wait two to three years for a dentist. By then, conditions worsen, and care becomes even more difficult.”
According to the California Dental Association, only 14 dental schools and surgical centers statewide are currently equipped to treat special needs patients. Association President Dr. Max Martinez praised the upcoming clinic.
“There is a critical need for more facilities that can serve patients requiring accommodations that standard dental offices cannot offer,” Martinez said in a statement. “The Specialty Dental Clinic program is set to transform access to care for individuals with special needs across California.”
Chambers has asked for a private meeting with the Board of Supervisors to discuss how local leaders can support and accelerate the project’s progress. The new center, once complete, is expected to become a cornerstone of pediatric dental care in the region.
