WACO, Texas — A retired dentist turned Waco philanthropist gives back to the career he loved so dearly.
Dr. George Jurek donated $1,000,000 to Waco Family Medicine.
The money will be used to build a state-of-the-art dental clinic.
"The fact that he has chosen to build his legacy into the fabric of our facility will challenge us to maintain his vision of whole-person health for generations to come," said Dr. Jackson Griggs with Waco Family Medicine.
According to a news release, Jurek fell in love with dentistry when he was just nine years old.
He had a toothache, so after a few days, his parents gave him $1 to go see the dentist.
Jurek found one in downtown that was willing to help.
He was such a good patient, the dentist gave Jurek 10-cents back.
Years later, Jurek opened a practice in Waco knowing he could help people the same way.
Jurek later worked for both the Texas Department of State Health Services and MHMR.
During his time at MHMR, Jurek created a program, now used across the state, to teach the importance of dentistry as an integral part of primary care for those with mental health and developmental disabilities.
