Master Andrew Holecek
" tarting in 1996, during a six month trip throughout Southeast Asia, Dr. Holecek has been providing free oral health care to impoverished children in Tibet, Nepal, India, Vietnam, and Guatemala. In 2001, Dr. Holecek co-founded the Global Dental Relief Project with Laurie Mathews. As featured in National Geographic’s “The 100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life,” Global Dental Relief is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that continues to provide annual care to thousands of people. Each year several hundred volunteers, both health care professionals (dentists, medical doctors, hygienists, assistants) and non-medical support personnel, selflessly donate their time and money in the service of others. Working in conjunction with Global Dental Expeditions, Global Dental Relief offers volunteers a unique opportunity to join humanitarian work with travel adventure. For those with an interest in Buddhism or Hinduism, the clinics in Nepal and India provide access to some of the greatest teachers and sacred sites of both traditions.
Dr. Holecek believes that there is no greater way to put things in perspective – to realize how fortunate we are with the comforts of the West, and how difficult it is for so much of the rest of the world – than to travel and serve in developing countries. Whether it’s working in remote Himalayan villages in Nepal, or teaching dental school students as they provide care in the highlands of Guatemala, Dr. Holecek is firmly committed to providing hands-on care for those in need: “I want to balance my spiritual writing and teaching with in-the-world service. It is easy to get isolated from the everyday suffering that countless people endure. As challenging as it is, I love my volunteer work in Asia and Central America because it keeps me grounded, and in direct human contact with those less fortunate. Please join me in helping others.”"
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