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 RU
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kademos
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ough t th e othin ls
g e
ate tr a in ing. He b
o a n a c a demy is n
radu e anothe
r. S
r of postg n with on ead.
w a s a supporte e rs ati o f th inking ah uishes
Plato n a lre a d y
te ri n g in to co nv
n ti st is c a p a b le o
a t scientists disting
e n ie wh
place for where a sc curiosity is
having a c o m m unication th in king. And
ce o f r forw a rd
than a pla ng but fo
e e d fo r ponderi , 2005
There is n
o n
. st ri a S c ie nce Award
s forward f the Low
e r Au
and drive e o ccasion o
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t is loved
a k e p e o ple reflec te d .
to m ct is h a
pretends m to refle
Whoever sp ire s th e
actually in
Whoever
xley
Aldous Hu
 singly
liz a t io n increa
spec ia , no
le x, making r sit y h ierarchy
m p e
more co by univ tightly
g m ore and e n s u pported n ce in a small,
in is e v scie er it
is becom zation ment in the earli

R
esearch rly s p e cia li
e ad v a n c e o w e v e r,
able. Ea Becaus eople. H cipline.
unavoid b je ct area. w d e d with p b a s is of its dis
h s u ea c r o th e fields
matter
in whic t h a n in an ar lo s in g sight of e r y r e stricted
e r f v cy
ved fast he risk
o ingular, tenden
c to r is achie h e la rger is t b e fo und in s c k in g. This
limited
se are a , t sua lly
frequen
tly la nat ly,
e
o n a narrow n n o w adays u d g e is sin g . Unfortu
e d hc a le is
is focus researc r, know uently m
to p-level ft, howeve b a s is is freq
Scien tifi c t an d le m o n raduate
c h , a t its righ g e s in ce a com in t h e postg
of resea
r han ities . olve d was
s s c ie n tific exc h is a t univers n ifi c a ntly inv is n e t working
ate n t sig ,t h
complic ussion o g been Slavicek , since
o little disc v ic ek, havin h an ge. For o it in science
t o S la ye x c aid t ently
there is e r it of Rudo
lf
r d is ciplinar t io n is still p t s a re frequ
e m in t e t e n n t is
It is th tists and little at ung scie
a in in g of den o p in ion, only t im e . And yo
further
tr
ncern. In
h is lve s tional
a in c o ls o a lw ays invo d v a n c ed voca
am a
cessful. ing an a d
always nication ing suc r attend d my e
xam an
n a l commu e c o m 9 2 fo a ss e
profes s io for b e in 1 9 ha d p For s
c e
u t o f t his time I to o k the tim y e a r b efore, I d e r a l Armed
o , F e n
running oncern
ed orf. The German uggestio
r a s I am c e in Düsseld n te r of the e d at the s
A s fa
l-Inst it u t ica l c e att e n d oin f
t o
t K a rl-Häup th e a rmy med e x a m which I p ro fe s sional p
a tist at e th e the ith a
training a s a den a in ing sinc c h e l. From r t ra ining w
y e d d tr ö s rt h e
was em
plo t advan
ce athias H d this fu service.
So as
It w a s my firs s tu d e nt Dr. M t h a t I tackle v e fr o m
in Bonn
. llow ,s o lea ing
fr ie n d and fe e a k u p to date
u r - d a y special v o n ia n sound
es t sp fo aS la
of my b d, so to e was a n with fession-
lt w e ll traine e d r iv ing forc e a n Austria o f b efore. Pro
view, I fe y, t h pos it ear d strian
h tn e s s. Anywa e r e sitting op e h a d never h w h e re this Au
lig w w e w
kind of uddenly lations any pric sked ho
e n t is ts we s n d in g of corre d e r st and at d p u blicly a
d rst a ou n a n
recent n unde anted t iped up
ing us a but I w ipant p lavicek.
nam e , g iv
ft b e h in d ,
in a r p a r tic
a c co rd ing to S
le as e m y
as rapid
ly
udden, compan
ally, I w o u t . A ll of a s a lt h in surance
ing ab e
was talk with a h
e n t m ethods
eat m
to bill tr

4
 getting
o m e here for
not c ence.
o u s u r ely did
a s r ig h t in ess
“Y y, he w
d said: ironicall
h is head an w a rd
sho o k ht fo r self-­
ss o r S lavicek s t r ia n “ Broug
. d . jo g g led our
Profe u an b ly
by an A tter in h nsidera ed even
a c c ounting o n the ma , s in ce it co tio n continu
t a ug h t
in cus in g tratin g frus tra other
t h a t h e was fo w a s v ery frus o n o w . When o r ch oose an
d t rly ts.
I realize nothing tistry up it prope ey even
e r s tanding d in g of den it h e r learn u t s imilar k
U nd ders ta n :W e e da b o long
n e ss and un e d fr om this r o u p reporte o n e , b ut in the
u s edu c dy g ies t
conscio ay, we icek stu the eas
llo wing d o f the Slav w a y is not
on th e fo agu es
n that t
he firs t iveness
n . M a ny colle g n it io g in g inquisit
profess
io rec o
and un
fla g com­
o a ll o f us is the to r y. tio n in g l te a c h er and
nt c nt ques
Commo ry satisfa persiste a specia for one
’s
o u t t o be ve y o w n lf S lavicek as e n c o urages
run turn
s nm Rud o tim e ent.
h e n , based o a p p reciate a t th e same G e rm an stud
Since t e t o an d fh is n
nd com pports lance o tributio
t to know a a n io n. He su th e noncha a rily a con
I have g o com p ives a t is p rim elle t
n
p ro fe ssional y s o ft ly conn p r ofe ssional e r s on and exc
an d a ll h p
petent ccasion at healt arming
in k in g – and o y a b o ut a gre rib u t e to a ch
own th al stu d a t
graphic rly also
This bio u t is p articula
ience, b
ry of sc
to histo er.
ic teach
academ
2018
ummer
Bonn, S

ven
kus Gre
Dr. Mar

5
 9
ia 16
dicine in Austr
f (d e ntal) me 19
o
pment
r y a n d develo
Hist o king 24
o li stic thin
ion fo r h ation
Inspirat d s c h o ol educ 32
k g r o u nd an
bac
Family 38
o f m e dicine fa il u re
Studies ccess an
d ally 45
f p r a c tice: Su d g e o graphic
ars o a n
First ye edically 69
d b o rd ers – m
b e y o n e s e a rc h
Looking d own r 76
d o gm atics an
t a b o u t
Doub sue 76
is n ot an is
Retirem
e n t tions
n t ific associa
scie
rship in
Membe
raphy
Bibliog
8
 l o p m ent of
r y a n d deve A u stria
i s t o i n
H
t a l ) m edicine
(den n still tu
rns out
to be
l ucatio edica
in m e dical ed th e V ienna M
adays s.
hat now tes from e period
origina separat

M
uch of w imp o r ta n t
emp o r a lly
er e th
t ra o r d inarily e d in s everal t e v e lo p ed und
ex divid d ard
1 It can be . 1800) ian Ger
School. to approx o n a l physic
745 u p er p e rs rs and
a S c hool (1 in s t ructed h n it y fo r docto
n e ort u ted
st Vien . In 1745
, sh
ing opp suppor
The Fir Th e r e s ia h a t r a in a n c ia ll y
s Maria establis ing. Fin na as a
­Empres 7 0 0 – 1 772) to c at io n al train s p ita l in Vien
ieten (1 medica
l v o
st publi
ch o n if he
van Sw e th e t h e fir d e n t is try, eve
recreat founde
d rmer of k it is
thereby a n S wieten n s id ered refo 2 Since in
this boo
Court , v e is c o . that lfgang
by the h s ix beds. H in s u p portable b e m e ntioned o m p osers Wo
w it er e ld c n
­central
facility parts w , it shou n of the tor Anto
s w hich in n a r y dialog a n d patro D u tch doc
ed th es e rdisc ip li frie n d hed th e ed eth
propos d a b out inte p re c ia ted as a S w ie ten fetc H ae n develop
tly talk e ap va n . De ot to
frequen G o t tfr ied was 1 7 54 , Gerard r n a l m edicine st e d o n the sp
son In te ue
ieten’s Haydn. or for in ent req ndently
van Sw t a n d Joseph fu ll profess a n d t he stud th in k indepe
us Moz
a r a as a ed dt o eines
Amade 7 7 6 ) to Vienn n t w a s examin u d e n t s learne s p ita l (Allgem
–1 at ie s t o ­
n (1704 “. The p So the neral H le), con
de Hae e -t eaching e d ia gnosis. II., the Ge h e L ehrschu
d “bed s id ropr ia t ose p h lin is c lw s
a
so-calle n o w the app e E m peror J n ic a l school (K V ie n n a Schoo
k r t h li s t
teacher . Unde d the c . The Fir d by ne
w
let the in fl uenced e d in 1784 an lo c a te d there ra w as shape
t bein g n d r e is e
withou was fou women sons. Th
u s ) in Vienna fo r m en and c re a tio n of les
h a ed s re
­Kranken ly six b es and tetrics.
o f r e s pective a r y o f disciplin ll y in obs
s ist ing su m m sp e c ia
y the s, e
erized b tandard undert
­charact n s a n d new s ule im 1
9. Jahrh
u la tio S ch
reg izinisc he
hygiene ie Wien
er med
y: D
to Lesk
ase refer 67-269.
ns ple y), pp. 2
llow ing sectio 9th century). ry of Dentistr
gard to
the fo
hool of
the 1 e (Histo
With re na Medical Sc eilkund
1 n hte de r Zahnh
(The V ie schic
elm: Ge
nn-Axth
2 Hoffma

9
 from
ris e s t h e period
p ky
nd com okitans
9 t h c entury a K ar l von R
the 1 1) a n d itiat-
e lo p e d during d a (1 8 05–188 o lo g is t. They in
de v ko th es
School f von Š nsky pa diagnos
o n d Vienna n a m es Jose te rn is t, Rokita m e n ted his
The S e c 0. T h e s an in do c u then
x im a tely 188 ith . Š koda wa s e a rc h . Škoda o k ita n sky who
app ro erew ry re by R os-
1800 to a s s o c iated th t e rd isciplina in p a thology p h y s ic al diagn
in ed no f
(1804–1
878) are emplary examin teractio d been
a ch e s of an ex e c or p se was se d o n the in s h e d w hich ha
appro th B a li
ed first t died, gnosis. as estab
e n a patien a s e cond dia p a th ology w
in detail
. W h vid e d ex a c t . ing this
ly o f Š koda pro al a n a tomy an in e w ere laid e lo p m ent dur
den t log ic ed ic nt de v szprie
­indepen id e a n d patho s o f m odern m c e d a releva le r v o n Lunka
e bed s io n ie n E d
tics at th foundat y exper arabelli n wars
t il t h e n – the , a lso dentistr t r ia n , Georg C s t ria n liberatio
unknow
nu n dicin e n Au s he A u s after
m g e n eral me d e n t is try was a r tic ip a ted in t s to u n iversitie
o f a ist a
Apart fr fessor o r had p of dent e Vienn
u ro pean pro n a r m y docto m ic lessons e n t is try at th
era. The
firs t E o as a
rought
aca d e bou t d rab i,
ell
a s u rg eon wh 3 . H e b iv e le ctures a w r it t e n by Ca
842), 81 g tr y e
(1787–1 9 and 1 anz I. to f dentis book, h
le o n in 180 e E m peror Fr s a m anual o a g e .3 In this
against
N a p o by t h ere w a lan g u gw h it
ed pe rmission U n iv e rsity. Th
h e d in German e n tis tr y . Startin
obtain lis ed the
having e v e r y first pub r y o f t he entir p m e nt up to
th e histo e lo
nted th the dev 19th ce
ntury.
docume h e c o ntinued in t h e
ece , e tera-
e a n t ique Gre a rc h o f his tim p re h ensive li
t h rese co m y.4
re n t s tage of b s ta n tiated by o r k in dentistr
cur u cw
psis is s scientifi and
ire syno lary for scinated
The ent ome e x e m p a b e lli fa
st
has bec try, Car not lea
ture and A u st ria n dentis fe s sio nals –
ro
neer of edical p
As a pio s u c c e ssive m
many
­inspired
lavicek.
­Rudolf S

stry)
of Denti
matic Manual
e
de (Syst
heilkun
buch der Zahn
es Hand
matisch
k aszp rie: Syste
n
i von Lu szprie
Carabell v. Lunka
3
auer: Carabelli
4 Schönb
10
 Heider
lli w as Moriz
Cara b e doctor
s s t u d ents of , H e id er was a r
u ly iz Heide
st famo .5 Innate try. Mor
o f the mo n o - caustics n tis
O n e f ga lv a fo r d e t ­dec t
e n
6 6 ), fo under o d t o allure him r st o f all: “ Wha
(1816–1
8 rie mentor
fi nd
rabelli t his later fter all a
in e , but Ca d e d c o n v inced a y
of me d ic resp o n
y becam
e ­ ara or
p t
to h av e boldly 6 He finall
  e d o n the pre
was said s dentis
tr y?“ f work.
Bas medi-
a d d re s fi e ld o d d e n tistry in
p erson w
ill with this stablish
e
sing re­
u p in t ensively H e id e r firmly e n c e a n d increa
followe
d belli nific a gly
e n tor, Cara te ly new sig av in g increasin
his m p le s h t
work of it a com hnician ernmen
th e re by gave 7 After de
ntal tec 1 8 4 2 the gov
d n. be r
cine an rofessio Septem
io n of the p c tic e, on 14 lusively
cog n it
e in d e ntal p ra
re e w hich xc e
activ y de c be a
become u r t c h anceller u ld fi r st of all
co sh o ,
acted a dentist doctors
be an a rchy en is t r y .8 So the
m a to logist. As h e
anu t rt
of the D actice d
en st, a sto 9 o unde
to rs to pr e a speciali e d icine. S “
allowed
d oc in t o b
doctora
te in m cial ath
p
ly then tra t h e u str ian “spe
and o n cqu ir e of a n A dicin , e
doctor c o u ld finally a h e b e ginning in g e n eral me
logist s t
­stomato r this wa
s bedding
o r itz Heide a m e ly its em .
eo f M tistry , n ermany rther
influenc m e n t of den ve r e xist in G u te d to the fu
evelo p ld n e nt rib hool
in the d te n t a s it shou e rs o n who co ird V ienna Sc
x p T h
uch an e me of a o-called rofessor
and to s im p o rtant na S ch o o l to the s h a d b een a p
A furth
e r dica l eon ery.
th e V ie nna Me G e r m an surg a b d o m inal surg
e
ment of –1894).
Th stones in
­develop illro th (1829 7 a n d set mile
odo r B 18 6
was The na since
iv e rs it y in Vien
n
at the u mic
acade
cal and 011.
a s w ell as practi nd October 1, 2
gra phy , 2011 a
ek‘s bio him on April 5
on Slavic ith
e id e r ry , info rmation nversations w 2012. e.
H st o in
N.N.: M o riz of de nti rou nd c la vicek er Archiv
5 n s o n history detailed backg d by Rudolf S th ) Co urt Chamb
atio om lease y of Tee ncing a
nd
6 Classific nd originate fr is text were re atholog ve, Fina
u
backgro ns italicized in
th
h ne (A tlas on P l A dm inistrati
ä e Genera l 15, 2011.
All citati
o ie der Z
atholog fire in th ri
tl as zur P during a archives of Ap
Heid e r: A 1 92 7
royed in e Austrian state p. 145.
7 as de st o f Dentistry),
e file w on of th (H istory
Th ti ilkunde
8 informa Zahnhe
Friendly ichte der
: G e sch
9 Strübig

11
 ng
instituti
o re over, by
tors . M drove
g o f y o ung doc n a , h is students 10
e trainin ie n
nce to th ing. In V other.
o r ta u rs ing train c t w ith each
reat im p ode rn n e co n ta arabelli,
ls o a tt ached g s ta b lished a m sta y in g in clos te n , d e Haen, C
He a 82 he e hile Swie th centur y
e rh a us in 18 a l te c h niques w r ts s u c h as van 8 th and 19
n 1
the Rud
olfi dern me
dic ical expe ring the amnesis
u m e rous mo h ic h m ajor med l re s e arch du n tu r y : from an
forward
n by w edic a th ce lines
s p e c ti ve facets h a ra c te rized m t d u rin g the 20 d iff e re nt discip
c n f
The re d Billroth velopm
e gation o
k it a nsky an e ir fu rther de e d s id e, aggre ine.
Škoda, R o
m e n ta ls for th
c trin e at th e b
m a n d in medic Medicin
e“ be-
e fu n d a e n t, d o ic a l d e to r y o f
formed
th the pati to an eth his “His r the mo
st
c t a tt ention to a n d th erapy up ri c h H aesner in u e n tl y was fo
and dir e nos is He in cons e q bark rs
e
ia liz in g in diag J e n a p rofessor a l d o c tors and e n re m inds of
e c , the ctu oft year
while sp ss , in 1845 to o m uch by a ra n ce all too g th e same
e le cte d pp e a u ri n
Neverth till negle whose a , since d more
n tis try was “s te d persons s ly n ecessary fe a tu red not
d e edu c a bvio u Prus s ia any
moaned n d s of semi- c a tio n was o ing dom of c il it y in Germ
the h a e d u th e K in g fa
par t in urther) million ent train whose
ries.“  (F out 15 depend lbrecht“,
11

n t c e n tu n o f a b fi rs t in d u a rd A
of ancie opulatio he doctor E
erlin. T
12

a m p le with a p m a lo n e 37 in B is e a s e s by the
for e x e l d
, among
th
ic for ora Minister
n 9 6 dentists a “ P u blic clin y th e Prussian
th a 55 a s
mandato 13
ry b , mind
fo u n d ed in 18 c la re d w a s d e alt with
was d e at,
866 was stry. It from th
n d a nce in 1 d e n ts of denti o -b e . Apart
a tt e rs tu ners -t in ry
a
u c a ti o n and fo n era l practitio m p le te d the ord
of E d g e o ro­
-be, not having c y, the p
ntists-to ic dentists German
you, de -ac a d e m
fic o n e . In
tist) asw
w e re also non n o t th e scienti c a d e mic den
the re nd on -a tive,
o f ed u cation a a ti o n D entist (n
o w a d a ys still ac
course n
an desig em are n
n o f the Germ ia , o n ly few of th
fes sio tr
2; in Aus fore 197
5.
d in 195 ining be
abolishe d th e ir tr a
omplete
having c

p. 464.
ntistry),
(H isto ry of De p. 464.
e ntistry),
heilkund ry of De
e od or Billroth ic h te der Zahn de (H isto ), p. 466.
rn: Th ie Gesch nheilkun Dentistry
10 Ke xth e lm: D er Zah to ry of
ffmann-A hichte d de (His
11 Ho Die Gesc nheilkun
an n-A xthelm: h ich te der Zah
ffm Die Gesc
12 Ho xthelm:
ffmann-A
12 13 Ho
 ls and
e s e p ro fessiona
cialism,
th eir
learn th
o f N a tional So h e y did not
In the co
urs e stria . T den l- ta
a ls o e n tered Au c a ti o n , but at a
chnician
s edu four
dental te e m ic course of io n s ti p ulating
acad g profes
s
ed and
n on the a teachin overlapp
professio w as s te m s
academ
y. It th s y dard.
medical u rn e y man. Bo rn a tio nal stan
s a jo inte out any
service a hed the tist with
years of o f b o th matc a d e n
bination lso were
the com e n tis t “ was a r, s o m e dentists
n “d Howeve nection
America edicine. for con
So the ra l m h in g
ge in ge
n e e se a rc tion of
know­led w it h. Thos r th e r educa ellent
s fa c to ry th e re
n a c a demic fu
ta tu s a s an exc
not sa ti a s
uted to lost the ained a
e d ic in e contrib A u s tr ia , Vienna in V ie nna rem
to m n rsit y
fession. effects o e unive dition.
their pro r I and its eless th li nary tra
rl d W a t n ev e r th terd isc ip blished
d of Wo arch, bu g long in ctice esta
With en edic al re s e
of p ro v in
d to th e p ra
ialist of
o f m o dern m l c h a ir capable it w a s adhere a d e n tal spec
center ria str ia is ll
professo ry, in Au Slavicek first of a
n e d medical e 2 1st centu th a t Rudolf “d e n tist”. He
­ren o w
beginnin
g o f th nish in g d no t a ­the s,
les
not asto ctor” an y. Never
Until the o it w as
onally a
s a “d o o rr e c t w a le
ntury. S self pers be the c ith a litt
e 19 ce rs this to ever, “w
th
th h im id e h o w
du ri n g side ri n g
still c o n s ainin g , wa -
s re
s c h ool“, con l tr a in ing and ia n d entist tr w ith in Europe
the “o ld edic a
of the A
u s tr atio n tional
te d a g eneral m c tu rin g n , a s tandardiz
a n g e its educa
u io rr
comple the restr pean Un and rea Austria.
a s in v olved in e d b y the Euro th er c ountries a p pro ach like
he w dmits. F
orc of o ila r which
14 , as he a to th e systems d p u rs u ed a sim b e resolved,
­regret“  t Italy ha d to e
to adap icine ha eless, th
e d , A u stria had e a n U n ion, only d g e n e ral med a rd s. Neverth
quir e Europ n ck w
ntistry a step ba
Within th ween de certain
system. nnecti o n b e t
r to b e a
trong co conside as well.
So the s p to n ow still re obvious
ti sts u ste m w e
den strian sy
leading o f the Au
n ta g es
­disadva

011
April 5, 2
dolf Slavicek on
h Ru
ation wit
14 Convers

13
 to
ation, so
e d ical educ
of th e m m this.
ju st a little part n d s u ff ered fro
stry was ea ssional a
s
So denti medicin as profe
p p e ndix“ of n o t b e
a n “a could d n o
speak it
formed
n al e d ucation w a s c o ncentrate
fess io tion
y, the pro re educa
Naturall w h ose enti
of denti
sts in the
that one d e e p -rooted
try. line is mu-
e fie ld of dentis ic e k , h is discip e c es s it y of com
th v n
g to Sla d by the ralist al-
Accordin d h e is convince lin e s. T he gene
ring area
sa n discip e the
neighbo an d a cross the o n ly in exchang
ithin se mprises
– both w e becau is also co
nication o m m unicativ u s. T h
uires to
be c obv io them.
ways req g e become le a rn from
know le d an d to e ent for
n d a ri es of his e ’s o w n errors p ri a te slogan h ith th e requirem
bo u s of o n ’s app ro nd w errors
c o m e c onsciou R u d o lf Slavicek e n t h a nd in ha rk . R ec o gnizing
to be w ,
usiness“,
is rd. This own wo iscipline
d y o ur own b rs e s in this rega ta ti o n of one’s w h ic h needs d ’s
“M in u e n ed n e
in his co d docum g record nce for o
involve ndardize rrors bein c ompete
used to tion a n d s ta
es th e se e
om a n d
h inspec m requir leave ro
thoroug rn in g from the re u s e ful. They of the
su c c e ssfully le a
d p ro c e dures a
c a te d c onstruct .
and ndardize t compli possible
t a s a result, sta b e in g the mos n in e ffect is im ly
b u a n tio ,o n
king. atory org al educa le terms
own thin e mastic a ny medic h , in simp
conclu d e s th wit h o u t mp w h ic sy m is
ste
Slavicek to dentistry w a s like a pu m a sticatory
. Ac c e s s e he ar t
. In contr
ast, th e chanical
re h u m an body a to r y s ystem th e b o d y r b e y o nd a me
­enti astic h th es fa ech
d w ith the m g b lo o d throug Its fu n ction go elo p m e nt of spe
Compa re in . e v
sk: pum
p the brain nd the d r of the
ls o n e simple ta c lo s e ly linked to r o u r s peech. A fo rm s the cente
fulfi and mos
t le fo ry system
omplex sponsib
highly c c a to r y is also re r t: T h e masticato
masti rain. In s
ho
ause the on our b
one bec e ffe c t
reaching
has a far-
anism.
15

m a n o rg
hu lf Slavice
k:
f Rudo stem)
l thesis o icatory sy
th e postdoctora nts of the mast
omplex onal determina
subject c ti
mentally to this auorgans (Func
funda n d es K
da te an te
15 Cp. up to nellen Determin
tio
Die funk

14
 falls
o n o f dentists
uca ti
e of ed ew ele-
u s tr ian cours te g ra te s such n
Today’s
A also in nsive
m e th od, but r ts w ith an inte
the old ta
back on aining s mpleted
p ro fe ssional tr in e w hich is co
o th e
general
med ic e basis
ments. S a ti o n in o w e v e r, also th
ar educ H t
three-ye ssionals. these firs
a ll m e dical profe a lr e a d y during o d
r by ted aining p
eri
togethe is media e-year tr
in d entistry th re as
knowled
g e furth e r ek, this h
fo llo w ed by a o rd in g to Slavic u se orthodo
ntics.
y e a rs , tr y. A c c g b e c a e r y o r
three nical den
tis nal train
in etics, surg ctice of
h a cc ess to cli o f th e educatio ch a s e .g. prosth u c a ti o n in a pra
w it ng “ lds s u ic e d iated
a c e r ta in “tatteri e re n t special fie th e s ix year bas
lin e s is not med
led to diff in g ip
nsists of ht follow sub-disc stic poin
t
o d e n tistry co s a re o nly taug e c ti o n of these o th e r. The holi
a ls isciplin e n n c h g.
r, these d at the co mong ea al trainin
Howeve m here is th s c o mpete a e vocation
ep rob le cial a re a sin g in th to y’s
da
clinic. Th ental spe ently mis sulting in
a dental indiv id ua l d
es is fre q u
ial fi e ld s re
day’s
ra c ti c e and the o f s u b -disciplin a r t o f the spec . N e it h er that to
in p n g ap d t
e horizo r, driftin e accepte ek‘s meri
eyond th Howeve ired to b is Slavic
of view b g is n o t re q u
stu d ie s . It
du ate
al trainin ing their post-gra
­vocation y“ follow y of the
are still “u
n re a d
en e ce ss it d worthy
dentists u s n e ss for th m e a n ingful an
vided co
ns c io is on ly e exact
v in g p ro ti s ts . H o wever, it ia liz a tio n but th
ha of den pec to
ducation further s but help
further e n o t c a use any t b e d e epened
es shall no
rt if it do ubareas
of suppo w to s
: The vie hole.
opposite r lo o k at the w
a bett e
achieve

15
 n f o r h olistic
io
I nspirat
think ing rdiscip­
su p p o rt of inte
n forward cation of
, h a v ing drive te fu rther edu

R
vic e k gra d u a many
udolf Sla a s w e ll as post- e x a m ple for
ntistr y th e n-
linary de not be d compa
w ad a y s would m p o raries an
dentists,
n o co n te ta dn
n o t h a d himself e d h im to reflec
if he ha d ura g 2–
dentists ay, enco pers (190
younger im th e same w s t o f Carl Pop
ing inspir
ed h nthu s ia is m in
a
ions hav H e is a keen e n c e th e orist. In h
aree r. scie onal
o m pa n ied his c h ilo so pher and m o st conventi
acc -British p th e -
Austrian als with pistemo
1994), an h “, P o pper de lo p s h is own e
esea rc f dev e expe-
o rk “L ogics of R n c e a n d thereo e ch “, b u t also to
is
w ical scie e
of empir bject “sp dolf Slav
- rain. In h
methods n g w ith the su a ti ve for Ru sp e e ch and b
. His d ea li was fo rm tion o f e de l-
v e
gica l a pproach h in a d iscussion e le m e n tary rela e r c o n sidered th
lo wit e op p t and
e h im personally e r re ferred to th a te d b y speech. P in d e v elopmen
rienc p ra
icek. Pop ing was c
re
sis of the
b ognizes
n , th e h uman be e c h to be the ba a ch , Sla vicek rec
opinio sp e appro atory
f c o m m unicative p m e n t. In this e e n tire mastic
o e lo h th
opment nary dev therewit 16 . Therefore
, he is
s p a rt o f evolutio in io n , sp eech and e s o u l“
this a of th
. In his op nication
n id eas again n t o f commu y.
h is o w nstru m e f de tistr
n
m s e rv e as an “i n a ry n e cessity o
syste ipli
interdisc
o n v in c e d of the
c

011
April 5, 2
dolf Slavicek on
Ru
tion with
16 Conversa

16
 w Eccles
lo g is t J ohn Care
hysio d fur-
e A u stralian p v in g ta k en up an
ontext, th a
In this c as well, h ined the
b e m entioned 96 0 , E ccles obta
97) shou
ld s. In 1 stim-
(1903–19 m o lo g ical these g s re g a rding the
piste din
eloped e search fin
ther dev ic in e for his re
ze for m e d –1989),
Nobel Pri e b ra in. ra d L o re nz (1903
in th on a
smission o ranks K him. As
ulus tran k ‘s m odels als r d ia log with
Among S
lav ice in ea g e eha - v io
r, h a v in g been lv e d in L orenz’s b
of Popp
e o er
sively inv logy rath
classmate ic e k was inten e c te d to etho
dent, S lav t wa s d ir enjo d y e
young stu fe ss io n al interes R u d o lf Slavicek
h. The pro den t not
ral researc 2 1 y e a rs old stu a t th a t time was
9, the rs e
e. In 194 eam cou nd stay.
by chanc a n u b e , whose str e d to d iscover a
g in the D vit nted
swimmin e litt le islands in la n d s. H e just wa
m is
ently so of these e bank:
w h e re consequ e d o c k ed at one c o m in g from th
d boat h e d in the
d yet an h the fold am appro
ach
ed lying
regulate rs io n w it str a n g e te s a n d ta lk
g an excu mewhat emselve not heard
­Followin a te r w hen a so e y in tr oduced th re S la v icek had
into the
w ch. T h , wh e such
to jump ch o w chow bit K o n ra d Lorenz k e p t in his mind
d a a n a d t
d man an one less
th him he h olvemen
A bearde T h e m a n was no o n v e rs a tion with . D e s p it e his inv
e d
a while . nd c ly niz
sand for person a mediate lly recog
b u t whose t h is books im in te rnationa d
be fore e bo u g h p to a n Fris h an
c
about of u la tin g that h o re n z moved u e r w ith Karl von
and sti m h, L eth
positive e researc 1973 tog
o c ialist rac ri o d and in s
atio n a l S
ost-w a r p e
e. 1964) wa
in the N th o logy in p z e o f medicin ie n er (1894−
tative of e obe l P ri orb e rt W iffe t
re n
represen n o b ta in ed the N d p h ilo sopher N 9 4 0 s c o mbines d
Tinberge n an e1 s for
Nikolaas n m ath ematicia b y h im during th th at fe rtile area
Americ a d d
Also the develope convince between
e k . Cy b ernetics o lle a g u es were ”n o m a n’s land”
for Slavic c d
a model nd some neglecte
ie n c e s . Wiener a b e fo u nd in the
ed sc to
recogniz ings had
e w s cie ntific find
f n
growth o

17
 s
iener link
s fo rc ed by W
erne tic ada s,
y
s . T h e re fore, cyb g a p p ro ach. Now
e in 8,
l disciplin overarch ut in 194
individua s a n d p ursues an a s o f s cience, b
metho d are eh im
different in many , this mad
h is w id espread s w a s p ublished
a c etic
this appro ut cybern
ie n e r’s book abo world of
when W m e rs e into the
im üll
a pionee
r.
g for Sla
vicek to on Uexk
x cit in is t Jakob v
It was als
o e bio lo g earc ed
h
G e rm an-Baltic , U e x k ü ll had res
of the ntury erk-
thoughts rn to th e 20th ce , th e s o -called “M
e tu s
44). At th organism irkwelt“
(1864−19 e n v iro n ment on n d a d a p tation “W
ct of the the reacti
on a ek ex-
the impa e ca lle d – p ro v id ed Slavic
H lt
se world). d Wirkwe
welt” (sen th – M e rkwelt an e rved by h
im.
). B o y o b s ssed
(action w
o rld
m e n a in denti str
c in a te d and impre
no fas
s for phe icek was eveloped
planation th e w hole, Slav ia lo g s having d
O n and d . Pub- rs, be-
n ti fi c d iscourses d K o nra d Lorenz ia n s, p h ilosophe
ie an theoretic
by the sc hn Eccle l student
K arl P opper, Jo e e n th ese great e y o u n g medica
aroun d gs be tw for th t work
o o k -form, dialo e re in s piration – u e to th e diligen
b w rs d l
lished in searchers ome yea heoretica
ts an d brain re e r a p ause of s dic a l s cientist. T
havio ris en, a ft gm e nti c
fi
e r b y chance, th b y th e maturin ll p ic tu re of scie
th te d ve ra
at first ra usly adop ired an o of his ow
n
p ra c ti c e, conscio c re a s in gly acqu e d e v elopment
in his in r th
d that he quisite fo
cu s s io ns effecte im p o rt ant prere
d is n was a n
Inspiratio ntistry.
research. rd isc ip linary de
to inte
approach

18
 d ucatio n
o o l e
r o u n d and sch
ack g
Fa m i l y b m o th e r M aria Slavic
ek née
le
ienna. His their sing
rc h 1928 in V ro u ght up by
n 16 M a g be e n b gra d-
n
w as born o h ters havin o lf Slavicek‘s

R
v ic e k fou r d a u g iage , R u d hter
udolf Sla 6 ) w as one of h er first marr e d the daug
04– 1 9 7 e r. In c e n d
Maier (19 ée Senng
ieß iage des one was
se p ha Maier n . F ro m this marr te rs : T he oldest
Jo is s h
mother, n called
We ree daug owed, fa
te
rr ie d to a ma f M a ie r, she had th e . T w o times wid
as m a Jos e ph in th .
mother w second h
usband, nally Jose iated lov
ely warm
h er o th er, and fi s ra d f his
­Elisabeth
.W ith
a ria , S lavicek ’s m
w h o n everth e le s
o n a n d intere t o
s
by M o n a ti
followed inant pers r of educ w up in a
Karoline, d m o th er a dom w a s in the cente o y a n d so he gre
e the gra
n vicek ttle b bers
had mad s o n Rudolf Sla h e w a s still a li H e h a rdly remem
nly gra n d e n e .
As the o orced wh t Josephin rtant role
a re n ts were div th e r an d his aun p la y any impo
ther. His
p r, m o did n ’t ssion
grandmo it h g ra ndmothe m M ähren. He H is fa ther’s pro­fe
er w g fr o the r.
ld togeth originatin ith each o r and was
househo o n o f a family e a cq u ainted w in g a h ead waite
r Josef, s cam o m
his fathe never be ed in bec
d h o o d and they c a ti o n h e succeed
ch il edu
­during his nks to a p
rofound
e ver, after
divorce
it e r. T h a n . H o w
was a wa ma o room fo
r
telligent
a v e b een an in . T h ere was n
said to h with h im
17 , as Rudolf
Slav k
ic e
v ic e k b roke ties la d ie s
Maria Sla of ied
ompany lavicek d
th er w ithin the c g re w u p. Josef S
the fa h e
old where ar injury.
alle d th e househ effects of w
c o m th e
e 1950s fr
during th

ril 5, 2011
ek on Ap
with Rudolf Slavic
tion
17 Conversa

19
 epha.
g ra n d m other Jos
a s
ivocally w Her auste
re
e fa m ily unequ d u lt d aughters.
The head
o f th ve he r a mm nt e
ti re fa m ily, inclusi n t o f a c heeky co
e n eve d
She contr
olled the rs in the er behave
hit h e r daughte R u d o lf she nev
h cou ld rands o n ily da n
look whic e r, to w a rds her g d b a b y of the fam
d. Howev ve
was feare s the belo
o ri ta ria n. He wa
y auth ve him
particularl p lo it h is position. e . S h e always ga
x ed F in me
leefully e hine, call , she beca
knew to g a unt Josep o w n children
He adore
d h is ut ha d n o tow rdsa
sh e w a s married b ly , h is re lationship
nd since him. Curi
ous icek‘s
warmth a s ti tu te to o th e r. R udolf Slav
ub m
mother s s his own rting her
kind of a a te th an toward fa c to ry for suppo
ore inti m in a ence,
her was m ig e n t a n d worked h e e n jo y ed the sil
dil ,s ­
aria was om work e relation
mother M re tu rn e d home fr e fa m ily bustle. Th to
hen she ted from
th
lived nex
t
family. W m e times isola t. T h ey rather
ad a n d s o td is ta n m er.
o th
liked to re o n w a s somewha e d e e p love of his
rds her s ting th
relationsh
ip. nd the
ship towa e s o n e ver doub e d th e ir s o f th e mother a
th rm e earning t
r without etimes ha ugh to ea
each othe r th e father som b u t th anks to th a lw a y s had eno
uestion fo onsh ip s, e fam ily ing th ta
Just the q d in sim ple relati e y in te lligently th o re , it w as comfort
y live n ic
The famil anage mo y. Furtherm al econom
n d m other to m n e e d or povert a ble . The glob
of the g ra or e v e n
even unc
omfo rt 600,0 00
­capability e v e re d e privation m e ti m e s In F e b ru ary 1933,
s , so stria .
r suffered as simple yed in Au public reli
ef.18
and neve eop le ‘s life w
r of u n e m p lo re li an t o n
e most p h numbe loyed and yment. Th
e large
at that tim a p a rt ic ularly hig o n s id e re d unemp un e m p lo
involved ere c d by ve re-
crises had ita n ts in Austria w e r w a s n ot affecte sm a ll income ha
hab at the mo
th
rching fo
ra
million in at luck th ienna sea
of seven w a s g re e ts o f V
In this sit
uation it g the stre
y e d populatin .
f une m p lo up to now
groups o S la v ic e k ’s memory
Rudolf
mained in

, p. 333.
h (Austria)
Österreic
18 Kleindel:

20
 in a newly
is tr ic t Erdberg,
nna d social
e k li v e d in the Vie ts o f th e Vienna
e
aier-Slavic e large str
e
s progres
-
Family M d in one of th , th e home wa
c a te tim e sed
ncil flat lo es at that was a clo
built cou n g c ir cumstanc b lo c k of houses e-
Consid e ri
n bathroo
m. T h e groun b d
housing. d a n o w a rd , w ith a play
en feature court y there
sive, it ev u p e d around a o t fa r fr o m the flat,
g ro .N e
itself, flats l residents nal break
out of th
world for c e n te r fo r the loca o c c a s io
e social an
coming th enabling
ie n n a) Prater, d
iene r (V e graduate
was the W o u s in g block. h o o l), where h
rld of th e h ntary sc n 3, w sa
closed wo o lk ss c h u le (eleme a lg y m n a sium Wie
dV school, Re during th
e
k attende secondary
, R u d olf Slavice io n to n a rm ed forces
From 1 9 3 4 . Tra n s it Germ a stria -re
n t g ra d es in 1938 e in v a s ion of the d a ry sc h ool in Au
excell e r th n ng
from with 1938 afte into seco ncounteri
fo r h im. Since l la w s transition th e fi rst time e
not a pro
ble m the ra cia ek fo r pro g
v in
k in g effect of n fo r R u dolf Slavic n ID c a rd required
r and ta as o ry a
same yea was the re use the A
ID card. This th e r’ side beca
quired an
A ry a n t of h is fa ed Milde.
o ri g in a nd descen a s c h o o lmate call
sly his y wa s have
consciou ird g e n eration. f o f A ry a n ancestr a n d M ilde would
in up to th roo las s n
one’s orig roviding p st of the c have bee
n in c a pable of p e ti tl e of the be if h e w ould not
One pers
o it for th
roblems a
lso – ey and
a y s v ie d a little b ith o u t p th is w as the first k
d he alw lw ,
Rudolf an ary schoo lf Slavicek irdly, and
it io n in to second o c ia lis ts. For Rudo a s u re d him and th
tran s tional S he tr e not be
managed re g im e of the Na d e w e ll , secondly, s h o u ld anybody
d by the Mil hy is
prevente , he knew friendly. W sight of h
e ri e n c e : First of all , h e w as simply to h im . He lost
exp ore urd
shocking eighed m nded abs
o f h is a ge this w a s a Je w ? This sou
for boys ew
ecause h
e d to le arn just b c ademic e
nviron-
­allow fro m a n a
te. originate at school
schoolma fa m ily does not c ia te d th e success
vicek ‘s
mother a
ppre uccess.
Even if Sla nd g ra n d a s u re a n d great s
ther a ed with p
le
and later
th his mo who learn romoted
ment, bo d so n w a s p
on and g
ra n asium ) come
of their s r s c h o ol (Gymn c en d a n t should be
mm a des
ce at gra ly (male)
Attendan rt e d. The on !
study s u p p o agreed on
his wish to e th in g everyone
s so m
l, that wa
successfu

21
 ed
ot yet ag
a n d th e boy – n e
orily interr
upte d ary se icrv
co m p u ls h e lp e r) . The milit in
as are
ndance w craft warf ry training
is sc hool atte h e lf er (anti-air a c tual milita
In 19 43 , h Luftw aff e n
wed b y th e ructu ofre
e d fo r service as u a ry 1 943, follo d th e re fore the st
­fourteen –
dra ft
training in
Ja n
was drafte
da n nhelfer
ra m ilita ry n tire c la ss -c a lle d Luftwaffe
ith a pa k‘s e so
started w at Slavice ssigned to located in
ia l th ing was th in in g , th ey were a b a rr a c ked was
March. Th
e sp e c r the tr a
re his cla
ss w a s class of
a s p re se rved. Afte ti o n w h e a s o c c u p ied by a
roup w da ew
the class g Accommo ing besid
rf are helpers). w hile the build
(anti-aircra
ft w a rrac k tinued.
b o y s sle pt in a ba sc h oo l were con
orf. The e second
ary
the lesson
s
­Strebersd o o l. l le ss ons of th e quality of
n a sc h h o o b u t th e tra -
in
­another V
ien ing, sc venile sold
iers
th e m ilitary train h t th e ju a s a n a d venture, th
m ug ice g
Apart fro service ta ilitary serv der“ amon
d fr o m military k c o n sidered m a s re g arded “lea
Teachers
rele a se , Sla v ic e on h e w of sm -a ll
h . A t th e beginning x h a u st in g. Very so
ca m e th e guardian
ery hig y e be he
was not v particularl ture, soon unsteiner
y m e n ts were not in h is p hysical sta sc h o o l friend Bra
ep lo ron g old
ing and d rge and st ing to his
s. S lavicek, la w h ich accord e
his class m a te s the ro le e cla .ss owever, th
m a te s. This wa e a rl ie r within th e a st e rn front. H
er, weake
rc la ss of cou rs e d at th e holid s.
a y
u m e d as a matter v ic e k w a s deploye se s b a c k home for
y ass la ne ith
had alread , Rudolf S oung Vien of war, w
g in n in g of 1945 o n sent the y w it h the acts
At the b e t th e re so con ta c t of w en
h
lieutenan x p e rie n ce direct ly b e fo re the end
id not e sho rt s back
Slavicek d d e a d so ldiers. So A p ril 1 9 45, he wa
n d a in
persons a d in Vienn rminated
wounded ia n tro ops arrive fo r V ie n na was te
cing Ru ss figh t could
the advan w n , th e eight-day a r, R u d o lf Slavicek
o of w
is well kn After end en killed in
home. As th e R ed Army. o ld c la ss had be
ictory o f s of h is school)
with the v re e o f th e 20 pupil n a si u m (secondary
school. Th m Realgym
continue e g ra duated fro ance.
y 194 6 , h ersity tr e n
war. In Ma alificatio n fo r u n iv
eneral qu
with the g

22
 l career
a p le ft in his schoo
eg astic pupil
regrets th an enthusi
d o lf S la vicek still re to . A s
Today, R u
rvice relati
ng th e rly by his
ilit a ry se e n m o re , particula .
r and m ev
due to wa d learning enthusiasm
ld h a v e preferre h c h a rism and
of Latin he
w o u racter w it did t
n o
n in fl u ential cha t h is life situation
her – a ,b u
Latin teac arn Greek
h a v e liked to le
He also w
ou ld d grand-
rt u n it y fo r this. w it h h is mother an
oppo ve is-
leave any nued to li m heart d
o f w a r, he conti d d u ri ng war fro
After e n d e had d ie edicin in
e
u c h -l o v e d aunt Fin h a v e re ceived a m ry
ym ld ry semina
mother. “M if she wou a monaste
h a v e survived h e r to
ease and
w o u ld x, brou g h t lega e
l sh
c e d h e r into a bo . S in c e th is was not
ad p la there eme -
time. We h rb y a n d buried her ri e d a t th e central c
sians ne a d bu s
of the Sale of war an ar, he wa
sh o rt ly after end e d h o m e after w
med return him
was exhu husband they gave
19 When au
nt Fine‘s o u t fu rt her ado –
s wit h plot,
tery.“ 
th e d o m inant ladie re a so n s. llo tm en t“, a garden
t by ine d “a
thrown ou r unexpla are meter e postwar
a n d b roke tie fo r re n te d 200 squ d v e g e ta ble – in th
his furnitu
re moth e toes a n , Luise
R u d o lf Slavicek‘s la n te d fruit, pota w a s a y oung lady
In 1945 , ey p ere t
n which th ts away, th turned ou
e y c u lt iv ated and o h a m in t. Two plo la v ic e k ’s interest. It fu r-
which th ort S n
nd was w ed Rudolf a. Based o
c h a spot of la ra p id ly awaken w u p in Vienn th
perio d su nd w h o ria an d g re til he dea
r
rk in g in the field a o rf in L ower Aust h ic h c o ntinued un .
Gindl, w o ers d w n
ohenrupp habitation ndchildre
e w a s born in H re d e v e loped a co n an d ?? ? great-gra
that sh th e d re
e garden grandchil
unters in th h ildren, ten
ther enco e reveale d fou r c
er marriag
in 20??. H

11
n April 5, 20
h Rudolf Slavicek o
ion wit
19 Conversat

23
 e s o f m e dicine
Studi
icek start-
in a ti o n R udolf Slav
am university
in
leaving ex
his school ool of the

S
q u e n t to e d ic a l sc h n iv e r­
ubse the m ical u
u d ie s in 1946 at in d e p e n dent med
ed his st
365 (since
2004 nd per-
n d e d in 1 th e a rc h itectural a
­Vienna fou s – both fr
om
l Socialism
n iv e rs it y lay in ruin d , b e c a u se Nationa
). The u
er fame wa
s fad e d teach-
sity Vienna . T h e fo rm o u s re se archers an
int of view g most fam ibuted to
a
sonnel po le a n sw eep amon a zi fic a tion contr
ad left a c Also d e n ith the
and war h f Je w ish descent. rie n c e d first-hand w
of them o pe
ers, many Slavicek ex
tio n w h ich Rudolf
gene ra for the
change in sequences ing of the
o f h is st u d ie s.
e d e v e n o th e r c o n
n fo r a t the beginn
beginning volv aso as
t its end in was the re ks, because
n d u pheavals a a s b o rn in 1928 a te r for six wee
W a r a use h e w alm a m nity r-
se
tu rn e e : Just beca c le a n -u p work at his ru c te d w ith commu
r re nder st d any
young wa s re q uired to re e d F o rces he wa
s in
ld n ot have ha
er h e w a n A rm n w o u
first semest the Germa young me eturning
“w a r v o lu nteer“ for o w n a lthough the n e d to W affen-SS. R
s put d g assig ek. By
a so-called ir th cohort wa ta ri ly” or bein n R u dolf Slavic
wh o le b “v o lu n k its to ll o
vice. So a r war duty minal“ too was surely
ll to e it h er report fo d o w n a s a “war cri e ig h e d e asy: “That
choice at
a ing pu t
waste per
se w g sorry
e a g e o f 17 and be b u il d in g p o rt a n t than feelin
t th ing im
from war a nd remov was more
n , lu g g in g stones a c k . L o o k ing forward
compariso oking b a ion to
s“  20 , he noted lo
e a lr e a dy. His decis
to u g ti m
not a miss e for a lon by a spe-
. re st e d in medicin e c is iv e ly supported
for onese lf and in te was d st aunt,
e e n fa sc inated by e c ia li st of dentistry v ic e k ’s second-olde
He had b l sp Sla -
g a medica d of Rudolf ling follow
ic in e a n d becomin rl S k a ln ik, husban c u p ati o nal counse
study me d cle K a . An o c com ae
a t is to sa y by his un e d e n tist since 1937 to p ro b a bly also be
, th th ea ot
cial person married to iated the id icine for n
M a ie r. S h e had been e rs it y e n trance init h e w to study med
Karoline univ ne p
cation for dvised his
th e g e n eral qualifi c le . H o w ever, he a
ing like his un
mic dentist
non-acade
ril 5, 2011
icek on Ap
tion with Rudolf Slav
20 Conversa

24
 ic
an academ
d e m ic tr a ining but ice k
t aca lf Sla v
g a d e n tist withou in th e li fe of Rudo
min poin t was
only beco sa l w a s a turning p ro b le m , however,
is prop o n. A
dentist. Th ant decisio his grand-
o u rs e fo r an import h e r h is m other nor
ec neit
and set th s, because World War. take the a
bsolute
c in g o f the studie n s ju st a ft er Second e w w o u ld
the fina n ea p h ce
financial m that his ne artly finan
dis p o sed of the w a s convinced fe e s and so to p
moth e r
dolf Slavic
ek‘s u n cle
ed to pay
the st ud y times erp
w e v e r, R u a n d a g re d e n t w o rked two
Ho ie s st u st
edical stud the young tice with ju
e c t d e c is ion with m h illin g p er month d e rn e q u ipped prac ra c-
corr 50 sc is m o rst p
in g . In re turn, for 1 S k a ln ik o perated th o ss ib il it y to gather fi
the train . Karl provided th
e p istant
p ra c ti c e of his uncle k , th is jo b a lt e rn a te ly as an ass
week in th
e vice r. He worke
d
Rudolf Sla the work
ta l te c h nician. For fo r h is fu rther caree a lu a b le insight into
one de n ativ e ed a v ctice.
n c e w h ich was form n , so th a t he obtain th e p ro fe ssional pra
e nicia t in
tical experi ental tech learned a lo municativ
e
u n c le a n d for the d d u ri n g his studies rl S k a ln ik , as a com
for his ead y to Ka treat-
n e a rl y st age and alr a n im p o rtant topic sh o u ld e r and during
a as cle’s
already at nephew w over his un
h e r tra ining of his S la v ic ek looked
The fu rt r. Rud o lf spon­
w a s a g o od teache n ta l a ss is tant. is m e d ic a l studies, re
person he a de fh ‘t
ic tasks of ond year o kalnik didn
a ss u m e d the class D u ri ng the sec re a se : S ince Karl S
ments d an in c b to ish
it y e v e n e xperience ly a ss ig n ed this jo
sibil g
, he willin petent wit
h
at children more com
like to tre sidere d to b e
gma cti
e w , w h om he con u p . H is uncle’s pra
nep h ro
l patient g training in
this specia o completed
regard to at h e h a d n
for den-
m e n t o n his note th lt i- v o lu m e manual
com u ds
over the m ent metho
e handed ich treatm
this was: H uden ts , in w h
working st
tists to his

25
 l-
eatments a
rr ie d o ut dental tr
lavicek ca studies.
e ta il .21 So Rudolf S
m h is m e dical basic
o
strated in d raduating fr d drill the
bed and illu en before g ally operate
were descri 7 an d 1 9 4 8 , e v
to th e e le c tr ic
ents
d u ri n g th e years 194 w o rk e d . In deference n iq u e s, these treatm
read y it l te ch
t legal, but For manua e work with
ure was no nts at first. work and th
This proced anual in st ru m e
ind e p e n d e n t
refera-
g st u d e nt used m a b le a sp ect was the ch il d re n remained p
you n lu ho w
ises. “The va ly learned his confide
nt
good ­exer­c .“22 He rapid ported by
were very jectiv e p a ti e n ts
wa s a ls o su p
n he was
d re n . C h il dren are ob d . In th is process, he a tie n ts a lready whe
chil p
to be treate ren and oth
er d, not hast
y
nd allowed ect on child concentrate
bly calm a ad a ca lm in g e ff f w o rk in g :
hich had h own way o
charisma, w y in te r­nalized his ng
here he ha
da lre a d patien t. ment duri
younger. T r th e ­individual y. H is first invest
g tim e fo unive rs it of lix
Fe
d h e c tic, always takin le a rn e d theory at o n h u m a n anatomy
an He rk of
andard wo consisting
d ie s was the st b o o k exclusively
his st u with a th ic k lf Slav ek
ic
e r.23 It was dealt
id n o t p re vent Rudo
­Siegl­ba u d ed
image. This side remain
t – w it h o ut a single a y th a t h ardly any rd is
tex that w en w o
u m b in g this tome le a rn e d th at the writt
from th y bible. I ha
ve
ss e d : “It was m image.“ 
24
­un p ro ce th a n a n cool spirit
p a b le o f describ in g
e st u d e n t Slavicek a
better ca – for th d a lot
sa n a in co rpore sano a p in g it, he practice
Mens r sh
hy body. Fo 0, he had ro
wed with
p o rt a n t as a healt u n d 1 9 4
was as im om a ro club.
u rin g w a r already, fr it io n a l V ie nna rowing
d
of sports. D rgonauts“,
a tra the stroke
o o l te a m of the “A a n ro w in g squad as
the sc h e Aust ri m and
fin a lly trained in th m p io n w ith his tea
In 1947, h e Ch a
e Austrian his sights.
e ig h t, h ad becom 9 4 8 in Lo ndon set in
of the es 1
mpic Gam
a rt ic ip a te d in the Oly
­p

)
for Dentists
n (Manual atomy)
für Dentiste 11 al human an
Denz: H an db uch
avicek on Apr il 5, 20
n (Tex tbook on norm
21 ith Rudolf Sl natomie de
s Mensche
ersation w
22 Conv bu ch der normalen A 11
auer: Lehr April 5, 20
23 Sieglb lf Slavicek on
nv er sation with Rudo
24 Co

26
 ed to
were allow
g le a nd the four a
t – th e si n g this as
w
l fa ile d d u e to budge e d a ily h ard trainin
g the cana of th
tely, crossin ey. In view
Unfortuna ot e n ough mon
ere w a s n in theory
, b ut fo r the eight th t fo r Sla v icek – both
g o g poin open
d is a p p o in tment. u g h t an o ther turnin ia g n o se d with severe
bitter 1948 bro e. He was
d
eumolysis,
a
, the year at his uncl thread. Pn
Admittedly prac tica l w o rk
life h u n g b y a
llow de
st u d ie s and in the e n t o n th e spot. His n g e r p rac ticed was fo
of his quired trea
tm
adays is no
lo
nsumptive
s.
e c
r­ u lo si s which re rc u lo si s which now sa n a to ri um for co
­tu b
for treating
tub e
ar long sta
y at a ths I h d
a
o f su rg e ry a h a lf y e r m o re th a n four mon
kind d
ost one an reatment. Fo m fight into
asting, alm cks of post-t slipping fro
by a long-l ho ol o f h a rd k n o
d ran th e ri sk o f
ival has
I e xp e ri e nced the sc d e g re e s e very day an o th is st ru ggle for surv
“Here d 39 ead. S er.“ 25
tu re b e tw een 38.5 an u d o n ’t w ant to be d re fo r my future care
tempera an yo atu
a young m of human n catch up
n a ti o n . H owever, as d m e w it h knowledge u d ie s, h e planned to
resi g e is st
and provid ntinuing h
e very much pable of co
stamped m lavice k w a s in ca
After that,
he
ri n g this time S h is dismissal.
Sin ce d u pidly u p o n year. er A ft
w a st e d lifetime ra b le fo r o n e and a half
on the the section
ta
in p a thology at nse of libera
tion.
wo rk ed
e fe lt a se in 1953, he
h a v in g su rvived, h
p le tin g his degree
himself in co m ent at
h e fi n a lly succeeded se n io r m edical stud
When as a
same year 1), Manag-
in ic a l tr aining that zin g e n (1900–196
did his cl n-M e in ospital
r. O sk a r Z immerman a n d D ir e c tor of the h
t
Professor D al Departm
en r­diac, pre­
o f th e First Medic e k w o rk ed with ca
ing Bo ard . Sla v ic edical
d by this m
26

st a lt R u d olfstiftung fa sc in ate
Krankenan d was alm
ost
man’s ward
n tl y o ld patients an y o u n g . In the wo
domin a was st il l s visit:
h ic h a t that time e n ts fo r his doctor’
w a ti
­direction x female p
re d a ro om with si
he en te

il 5, 2011
icek on Apr d at Hofba
uer:
tion with Rudolf Slav n can be foun
Co nv ersa n-M einzinge
25 mmerman ann-Meinzingen.
ituary of Zi
26 An ob med. Oskar Zimmerm
Prof. Dr.

27
 ict which
d y I w a s able to pred
m alrea hy and whic
h
ring the roo ecome healt
“When ente w o u ld b a te
usly ill wom
en less of her st
of the serio ew which regard
nized from
th ei r vi I wo not
u ld
not. I recog co m e cr o ss ing her lips.
ould have a
wel ation in
of health w n o n -v er b a l communic
nse of is wretched
ped this se de myself th
have develo ha ve h a d m a
I would not
this form if tening illnes
s.“ 27 –
a lif e- th re a Chiari (1897
experience
o f
fe ss o r D r. Hermann
y at P ro ntinu d e
3 to 1 9 5 4 in patholog in g ro u n d before he co
om 195 made his tr
ain
the volunta
ry
aineeship fr l medicine ained from
A clinical tr f g e n e ra rie n ce g
te to docto
r o
rnal medicin
e. Exp e rnist a er
ft
6 9 )28 and doctora
e n t o f in te re to b e co me an inte
19 the departm epened his
desi tion was th
at
ry service in inzingen de is considera
his volunta merm a n n – M e bst a cle o f th
rofessor Zim ever, the o
service at P d n o t d entist. How le man-
o n o f h is studies a n
d y g a in e d such va ab lu
gradua ti alre a .
ncle he had knowledge
w o rk ing for his u w a n t to give up this
w h ile did n o t dies r fo
n e a n d p ractice and p le te h is medical stu
ual rou ti to co m n-
ek decided as not yet e
a lly R udolf Slavic tist ry , even if he w
S o fin t of d e n ano er th
in g a m e d ical specialis d e n ti st ry represented
becom f. Returning
to
co n v in ced thereo for his uncl
e again.
tire ly w o rk in g stry under
ta g e – h e could st a rt
ci a lis t st u d ies of denti
advan
vicek starte
d his spe ctic experi-
In 1955, Sla 29 Thanks to h
is autodida
–1959 ). is uncle he
ss o r Fr it z Driak (1900 d w h ile w orking for h
Profe athere dy, Ru-
“d e n ta l technician“ g r th e fi rs t weeks alrea
ence as a students. A
fte
ons taught
r a h e a d of his fellow o u t re st o ra tive operati
was fa g ngs.
le of carryin f certain filli
k was capab technique o
dolf Slavice er, for exa m p le th e
first semest
during the
y), pp. 242.
topatholog
pril 5, 20 11 olog ie (H istory of His ve rsity
A th refer to Uni
Slavicek on e der Hispa
er sation with Rudolf D ho m : Die Geschicht Fritz Dria k. Please also 17.
27 Conv Georg r. on May 3, 20
ease refer to : Professor D
ing Chiari pl memoriam 95 retrieved
28 Regard n be fo und at Loos: In ry/detail.aspx?ID=369
riak ca ue
ituary on D ivie.ac.at/Q
29 An ob opeq.cc.un
rchive Vien na http://sc
A

28
 short-
f th e se co n d semester
o
e curriculum There was
n h e e ve n mastered th b e ca m e suspicious.
Whe iso rs b per-
fte r, o n e o f the superv co n v in ce d by the jo
ly therea wa s
at! But he onsibility.
e th in g fi sh y about th u p to a p o sition of resp
som moved n entire
a n d so S la vicek soon o te d su p ervisor of a
formed m
r he was pro g before h
is
n g th e th ird semeste fe llo w st udents, lon
ri
Du work of his
served the
hall and ob 957. na Universit
y
a lis t e xa m ination in 1 ss is ta n t at the Vien
­spe ci as an a n duri g
n
d ie s h e w as accepted ye t. P re p a ring a crow
stu xist -
letion of his lls) did not e functional“
and dentist
After comp -s p e e d devices (dri e e n “d ys
ic. At that ti
me, h ig h s had no t b hat no -w
Dental Clin p ri n ci p le , those time se rt e d fr iv olously. “W
a day. In ot in d, but we did
quired half wns were n ybe it existe
the 1950s re m o re time and cro m e. M a
a s a t ti Gysi  ,
30
w t at th
erate – there not exist ye according to
ry more delib l diagn o st ic s’ d id
ulati o n th eo ry s
d ‘functiona ed the artic cement wa
adays is calle th a t w a y. We learn n d th e p ro sthetic repla n d
d id a a
at what we l construct, on with inla
ys
not call it th w a s a theoretica sm all restorati f
knew mys el f. It s the g o o d enth siast o
u
whom I still vo rite subject wa st ry . “I ’m still a keen
ated.”  Sla
vice k‘ s fa tive d e n ti ould b fe o
ol of restora function sh
31
­underestim so the h ig h sc h o
yo p in io n , th e
ing
gold fillings, rcelain. In m y longstand
hammered ev er , n o t a friend of po m e, b u t is based on m
ow f ti
n of gold, h rrent spirit o
the precisio n o t co m p ly with the cu
This does
top priority.
 32
experience.“
d
ticulation an
ions in the field of ar tion to tooth
at la
veral public ents in re
57) wrote se bular movem
i, Alfred . G ysi (1865–19 on problems of mandi
Sigron: Gys ted research .
30 Guido n research. He conduc ticulator and face-bow
occlusio d th e first ar
develope il 5, 2011
shapes and icek on Apr
ith Rudolf Slav
31 Conver
sa tio n w A il 5, 2011
pr
Slavicek on
er sa tion with Rudolf
32 Conv

29
 1

30
 3

in 1945.
Argonauts
g with the
av icek st arted rowin
Sk
1. Rudolf lid from 19
46
Th e co u rse book va
2. a family m
an
Slavicek as
3. Rudolf the 19 80 s
Slavicek in
4. Rudolf

4
31
 t y e a r s o f p r a c t ic e :
Fir s
d f a il u r e
Success an
ty
nna Universi
ek w o rk ed at the Vie
Slav ic runn g in
1958, Rudolf ch 1958 and

F
ro m 1 9 55 to o n 3 1 st M ar
ling down vacancy at th
e
, before sett was no job
Dental Clinic 998. Si n ce th er e
opti . o n
ctice until 1 t was the only
his own pra esta b lis h m en o
the medical ut it was to
ho sp ital in 1958, av e b ee n obvious, b
univ er si ty
of his uncle
wou ld h ic den . tist
e p ra ct ic e em ic an d an academ
Joining th cad –
for a non-a ptions of th
e two men
d no t sustainable t p er ce
smal l an the diff er en unned e th
n p la n s fa iled due to al n ik o n th e contrary sh
­Expansio dimensions,
Sk
ht in greater at this point. ict near the
­Slavi ce k th o u g
al ca re er w as separated n g fo r in the 9th distr
fessio n as loo ki raße,
re, their pro d what he w Währinger St
risk. Therefo arch an d fo u n
e ap ar tm en t in
t
Slavicek con
tinued to se He had a larg 73 years old
, but was no
e o f Le o pold Willert. se lf w as
e dental pra
ct ic illert him ear bail,
hospital at th tw o tr ea tin g persons. W h e ag re ed upon a ten-y
ites for and
eal prerequis his practice
yet. Slavicek hilling – since
providing id in g fr o m a cr ed it of 50,000 Sc
efinitely wit
hdra w tainin g ld have
capable of d ic ek h ad d ifficulties ob g re la tive s his plan wou
rst, Slav ei n s
annuity. At fi any guarante ship toward
a limited life y se cu ri ties. Without co rr ec t, the relation
possession o
f an od an d pract e
ic
he was not in risk h is d ec ision was go o ld m as te r visited the
e the The . In 1965, he
time. Despit evelopment. d something
failed at that ab le -c o operative d hav e m is se
ienced an am
ic would ich was
Willert exper at ie n ts . O therwise, he it y co n tr ac t in 1968, wh
favorite p ann u ht
treating his expiry of the ready broug
­regularly for o rt ti m e, and after av ic ek , who had al
inoma within
a sh
ice was pas
sed to Sl uring e th
died of a carc w , th e p ra ct p an d ed the practice d
t’s wido ic and furth
er ex
ed to Willer om the clin
also expand f p at ie n ts fr
e majority o
with him th
ars.
­following ye

32
 -
58 and to es
sity d en ta l clinic in 19 e
iver is
leave the un te life also. Lu
o ns fo r h is decision to “exp an si o n” in his priva te d a
One of the re
as ced an mple
u d o lf Sl av ic ek experien tire st u d ie s. She had co
lf was that R the en , the
tablish himse p p o rt ed him during ra n ch m an ager. In 1954
and su as a b
companied od industry idn’t have to
Gindl had ac ip an d w o rked in the fo w as b o rn – and they d
apprenticesh first son (*1957),
commercial m ar ri ed , in 1957 the u r ch ild re n: Bernhard
had fo
octorate, they e couple had ment there
year of his d . W ith in five years, th ry w h er e in the apart
r the next ch
ild 61): “E ve r years.
wait long fo 6 0 ) an d B arbara (*19 co n st a n t co mpanion fo
n (*1 9 our
59), Christia appies were an equally la
rge family
Gregor (*19 a n d m o is t- dripping n ra ct ic e an d
lines spanned ep
were clothes aging a larg
time.“  Man
33
n d er fu l o
was a w o on one or tw
But even this d isci p lin e. ca rr ie d o ut surgeries
od nerves an
d ractice, h e One f o
required go Within the p sm al l d en tal surgery.
cticin g s,
k, while pra the surgerie
days per wee an an esthetist to
s was to ca
ll in o maj r o
the next step in tu b at e patients. Als
am to le now. At th
e
e surgical te s were possib
­enabling th er ap ie
rventions an
d th new d an
­surgical inte b u la n t su rgeries were
am se
1950ies, such icek, “becau
end of the s p ra ct iced by Slav
, but neverth
el es interdis-
­exceptional t ti m e I h a d not seen any
t tha is a dominan
t
ed in it and a rgeon as such
I was interest n s. Th e su su r-
rk with surgeo , at that tim
ea
ciplinary wo m p ly a cts. However ave
mes a n d si this w ld h
o u
person, he co h a t I wanted. Since
have had to
d o w I had art-
p
geon would is kn o w le d ge by myself.
g th y
rred acquirin deepened m
failed, I prefe y a t th e cl inic, but now
ed in surger
ly been train
courses.“ 
34

knowledge in

ril 5, 2011
avicek on Ap
w ith Rudolf Sl
33 Conversa tion April 5, 2011
lf Slavicek on
nv ersatio n with Rudo
34 Co

33
 in Switzer-
sp en t m an y weekends
ose, he raz with inte
r-
For this purp e u niversity in G
ti m e th train g
in
at that
land, but even vi d ed ve ry good further
tation pro odontics fro
m
national orien du at e st udies of orth
ra 902–1965)
35
s. Post-g
opportunitie Dr. Leopo ld Pe trik (1
at Professor im that S­ lavi
cek
1958–1959 an d it was due to h
her insi g h ts of inte st,
re
provided furt ry as a p ar ticular field
phalomet for
discovered ce of the head
an d o u ter structure
g the in ner nding Ats.
i.e. measurin et al re as o n s of dental fi
detect skel tists was still
in
being able to u at e tr aining of den
e post g ra d arch ryve
that time, th R u d o lf Sl av icek had to se
stages and im.
the fledging le offer for h
fin d the most suitab eaval. Faster
carefully to
ra ct ed a p hase of uph
unte and
dentistry co themselves
e ap parent that h o d s established
s, it bec am ssion m et ed the ar-m
In those day n o lo g y an d new impre ed b y tu rb ines conquer
e milling te
ch r operat paration
devices in th 19 57 th e B orden-Airoto er ed in a n ew era in pre
: From 0 rotations u
sh
ved with just
antum jump re than 150,00 al devices mo
equaled a qu ee d o f m o n ve n ti o n
a revolution
sp while co ise one
ket and with rs h a d th e time to think o n e’ s m in d, since otherw
doct o o f
36 “While before ed a faster use ld have been
technology. e n ew te ch nology requir w h ic h p re ferably shou
s per minute
, th
hy parts of th
e tooth
37 Nowadays, m
odern devices
800 rotation f destr o yi n g h ea lt
un d.“  
run the risk o broke new gro ve, faster and
would have b o rd er s m any dentists t to w ar d s a more invasi
ond their ow
n pmen trend
preserved. Bey o n s p er m inute. Develo o lf Sl av icek followed this
0 rota ti Ru d d
eed of 400,00 f the 1950s. nce I dispose
run with a sp io n st ar te d at the end o u ce d a lo t by myself, si
d
ic reconstruct “After that, I
pro
more dynam g h is o wn practice:
y conve rtin
from 1964 b
company
of all for the
velo ped it in 1957 first o years later
: Le op old Petrik. D r. Jo hn Borden, who de r became marketable, tw nischen
us ch
35 Korkha according to tor of the company Ritte Impulsgeber für den te
was named : entistry and
rden-Airotor e Borden-Airo el/Kurt Kaltenbach: KaVo ncement in D
36 The Bo Furthermore, in 1957 th einz Kimm r the te chnical Adva
Dents ply. , cp.: Karlh nerator fo
KaVo followed nik (Pulse Ge
the company hnmedizin und Zahntech
in Za
Fortschritt
logy), p. 17. 1, 2011
Dental Techno on October
n w ith Rudolf Slavicek
sa tio
37 Conver

34
 aligned his
es s fo r th is .“ 38 Slavicek
tightn
priate hand ve-prosthetic
manner.
of the appro o ra ti
ominantly in
a re st om the mid
practice pred th e se n te nce about fr
w as ly, not
street“ – this s. Symbolical
“We make a p ro st h et ic
rethink in et re-estab-
terizing the t a whole stre
1960s charac was ren o va te d , b u
taken,
st an ind ividual house rg e -s ca le restoration was
ju idual to la
ep from indiv cted, which
lished. The st oth er w ere reconstru
t to ea ch her de-
re e an d fo ur teeth nex o rt le ss th an ks to the furt
th singly eff
eeded increa that dentists ew. However
,
not least succ ch n o lo g y. This means p something n
al l fa st er te bu ild in g u in
above for either
veloped and was existing nstructed, n
firs t o f al l destroy what in g to w h ic h it was reco
d to rd
also accepte concept acco
ex is t an y conclusive ore realiz-
there did n ot
re co n st ru ct ion also, bef
America. ous the first seve
re
Europe nor in end of gener experienced
ic ek fo llowed this tr ve th en
At first, Rudo
lf Sl av ugh: “W e h a t fin g:
din
ru ct io n was not eno n re ve al ed an importan
n st ng ru or
simple reco hich in the lo dibular joint
ing that the ed in o bservation, w g et p ai n in the man
ilure re su lt s, starte d to for pu gttin
failures.“  Fa e to disorder was too late
39
am e p ro n op en ed ; it
e patient bec x was harm,
Suddenly th d o n to lo g y. Pandora’s bo re st o ra ti o n does not do
erio all
the field of p ffectionate sm reconstructiv
e
problems in en t in to re verse. “The a id ed .40 For modern,
f developm avo
the wheel o ve should be
g too invasi g occlusion.” 
41

a t b ec o m in -e st a b lis h in
ized th ng concept fo
r re
but I recogn ired a convinci
ra th er re q u
­dentistry we

ril 5, 2011
avicek on Ap
ersa tion w ith Rudolf Sl ril 5, 2011
38 Conv Slavicek on Ap
nver satio n with Rudolf ril 5, 2011
39 Co Slavicek on Ap
nv ersa tion with Rudolf ct ober 1, 2011
40 Co on O
n w ith Rudolf Slavicek
satio
41 Conver

35
 lf Slavicek
in g fr o m m istakes. Rudo
for learn 1966/67, he
ere the time therewith. In
The 1960s w s as so ci at ed
ith it, with
chance
g niz ed er ro rs, but also as in a m in ority of one w
reco w ent
s. At first, he ained persist
cument case ever, he rem
started to do uietly at h im . H o w
s are m -em
e co lle ag u es smiling q o m his p u p ils: “If mistake
som mentation fr om
extorts docu ed the most fr
and still today em , bu t I have learn
arn from th f: “I n’t
d o
co gn it iv ely, one can le el o p ed th is slogan thereo
oriz ed of
urses, he dev I am capable
g.“ 42 In his co so much that
active listenin s. I hav e w o rk ed
one sh ldo u
d an y m istakes of other n e m u st co ntrol oneself,
nee first of all. O on he
my own work documentati
questioning m en t.“ 43 For this
e shal l d o cu ires a high
o ri ze an d above all on co m p ar ab le. This requ
mem making them ts who
andards for at my studen
developed st e ch aff . “H aving a look
more.“ 
44
om th
d se p ar at es the wheat fr a qu it te r lif e. They think
cipline – an ad
­degree of dis e that those le
ol an d do cu ment, I realiz e fo rmer rower
to con tr flection th
have learned om in te n si ve re
and
p his mind fr ed handball
For freeing u le isu re ti m e. This includ ve ly.
in h is inten si
lot of sports karate very
Slavicek did a end o f th e 19 60 s
r teach-
n is as w ell as from the h o h ad b ee n engaged fo
ten e teacher w training of
met a Japanes ework of the
By chance, he es wit h in th e fr am
ed by a
cl o se -c om bat techniqu an sh i I. Is h ik awa. Animat
ing , Professor H fascinated.
Armed Forces orts – and was
the Austrian look at h is kin d o f sp
mpted
ag u e, Sl avicek had a ed o D o sh in kan and pro
lle
co te club, Karat not always
an own kara all, there was
He founded even lo n g er . A fter
th Dan.
ik aw a to stay in Vienna th e h ig h es t rank, the 10
Ish ery day of f
se at hand ev but a kind o
someone clo rate w it h b ody contact, id
with ka ek d
as not dealt tial art. Slavic
However, it w en ts o f th e type of mar
em
y of motion el
choreograph

ril 5, 2011
Slavicek on Ap
tion with Rudolf 11
42 Conv ersa on ril 5, 20
Ap
dolf Slavicek
Co nver sation with Ru k on Ap ril 5, 2011
43 dolf Slavice
sation with Ru
44 Conver

36
 es Slavicek
p to n ow . Ev en the theori
ists u way under h
is
e club still ex ned the hard
ve ly u n til th e mid-70s; th tally, h e le ar co m e
nsi Men e to
this sport inte h as e re ac h until now. lt si tu at io ns which wer
from this p difficu the
had learned d from this in d person with
Ish ik aw a, but benefite h ar as s a W estern-oriente st ra in.
­exigent teac
her rd to ical
al l h e le ar ned: “It is absu pr ec ed in g, extreme phys
s. Above s only resulted
from
from the 1970 tients.“ 
45

r m e, re la xation alway hyp er ac ti ve, grinding pa

’. Fo g with
demand ’Relax ng for dealin
at ed m y understandi y which Rud
olf
This has ge n er
er e w as a second hobb n ea n
rate th iterra
Apart from ka o ce an sa ilin g in the Med
sion: apt to a non
-­
ted with pas learned to ad
Slavicek exer H er eb y h e Th is
the Atlantic. time.
Sea and on re and to take
et er m ined by natu t the
rhythm p re d and no least
controllable d re laxation from
derived pow
er an ing that one
is where he le s ar e re q uired for learn
po ved
exactly those is wife also lo
wisdom that el y en erg y and time. H
d in life, nam ort.
move forwar chor in the p
as t as lon g as it lay at an
at, at le
the sailing bo

ril 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavicek on Ap
45 Conversation

37
 b o r d e r s – m e d ic a l
ond
L o o k in g b e y
h ic a l
and geograp f
ents and relie
at ed m an dibular movem
rmony betwee
n com pl ic odontic r
s fo
lists of prosth

A
di stur be d ha m an y sp ec ia
chieving un the objective
of
to establish
this
al oc cl us al surfaces was t qu es tion was how
of ar tifici t impo rtan s, Beve B.
rly
ur ie s. H ow ever, the mos tr uc tio n. Since the 1920
many cent cons othed
e event of re truction of to
e go od of th e patient in th oc cl us io n in the recons the
­harmony for
th
t th e so-called ba
lanced
46 With great prec
ision and with
to pe rfec hology “. of
d tried ather of gnat the concept
­McCollum ha considered “f ac es for putting
to da y he is clus al su rf t get
dentition. Still uced oc gree. Slavicek
did no
he an d hi s students prod m ax im um de
ators to a m was
help of articul em chewable later, McCollu
ak in g th e m asticatory syst t A rn e La ur itzen told me
­balance and m y more: “As his
studen
cC ol lu m personally an did not succee
d
to know M
d go od . N ev ertheless, he ed
iculous an ider
incre­dibly met rsonally cons
re nt co nc ep t which he pe .“ 47
a cohe undone of
in developing ally cam e ph ys ic ally
d where he fin together a
as a “failure“ an M cC ollu m had trooped
rly 1940s, but split up w
hen
MUntil the ea w ho admired him
nd hi m t did not
ples“ arou r teeth concep
group of  “disci rs th e po st er io
trials and erro ept
after years of occlusal conc
48 One group left
the balanced
ral teeth
work consiste
ntly.
ng e po sitio n, a raw of late
l hi
a physiologica . This concept
and preferred do m in an t, guiding canine
class I and a entatives of
encrypting in of th e be st known repres
for years. One cal
was followed se biomechani
r Ky na st on Thomas, who
was Pete
this approach
­ nathology
y of G
e of Intern ational Academ
sit
fer to the web trieved on May 3, 2017.
ntext please re re
46 In this co logy usa.o rg /History.html
www.gnatho 11
October 1, 20
lf Slavic ek on (Forty years of
Co nv ersation with Rudo th opäd ie und Gnatologie
47 Ja hre Kiefer or
Roth: Vierzig
48 Ronald H. s and gnathology)
Orthodontic

38
 ning of gen-
se rv ed as th e basis for trai
t has as was a brill
iant
wax-up concep no w. P. K. Thom
up to
erations of de
nt is ts eable, cre­in
le r an d at th e same time lik
y wrest een
orator, “a beef 49 The content-re
lated link betw
ic te ac he r. “   ta llard.
dibly dogmat arvey S­
as w as th e orthodontist H
Thom consi­
McCollum and ree st ru ctures had to be
ized that th
He had recogn mandibular
tio n sy st em : the temporo
the so lu allard
dered within thodontist, St
oc cl us ion. As an or
joint, muscles
an d concen ated tr
de nt iti on , while Thomas
­focused on na
tura l e turbine
ep t. “I f yo u w ill, we rolled th
ideal conc ected that
on an artificial go ld restorations
.“ 50
, w as adversely aff
thod on tic s in tech ni cian n-
and applied or yne, a dental owever, in co
lu m ‘s st ud ent Everitt V. Pa no t w or k completely. H
Even McC ol ollum di d solutio :n“
ra l te et h ac cording to McC om no w on the “minimum
late d fr s.
the concept of her strategy an ns in later year
as he pursued anot sing le to oth restoratio
trast to P. K. Th om carried ou t gh to if
do
in Be ve rly Hills he only 19 70 s an d sa id: ’I have enou
actic e the rely
In his own pr Vienna during else.’ I have ra
, Pa yn e came to me to nd th em to somebody
“As a very old
m an k, I just se pressive and
h pe r da y. If I am being stuc ou sl y lik e Pa yne. It was im
I prepare one
toot eticul ouser pocket
he
exactly and m range: In his tr
de nt is t working such ua lly st
experienced an y bby w as eq ity, he tgo
w at ch hi m working. His ho re d or he ha d the opportun
an amusemen
t to was bo ts. For one of
his
As soon as he ces in these pi
so m e pi ts , e. g. of cherries. e sm al le st fa “ 51
­always had to grav g a rose-head
bur.
s and star ted occlusion usin
ife an d m ag nifying glasse m e in a go ld
his kn s na
en engraved hi
patients he ev
students and
2011
on October 1,
satio n w ith Rudolf Slavicek 1, 2011
49 Conver on October
n w ith Rudolf Slavicek
50 Conv ersa tio be 2011
r 1,
vicek on Octo
nver satio n with Rudolf Sla
51 Co

39
 was in
in hi s ow n practice that he
avicek noticed 60s he had st
ill
Even Rudolf Sl ou gh during the 19
t al th rtuniti . es
rent concep he had all oppo
need of a cohe ern te ch no lo gy –
larated by mod chnicians, all
thought – exhi r da y w ith up to four or five te
to 14 hours pe There was
He worked up co rd in g to P. K. Thomas.
ac
been trained rther educatio
n
of them having off er s fo r po st-graduate fu ar
just attractiv e e ye
enough work, en suddenly th
in g of the 1970s. Th
y at th e be gi nn e univ sity in
er
were necessar nc e: Pr of es sor Moser of th
a crucial expe rie ndeen and
1970 brought ts as gu es t le ctors, Harry Lu
ialis
Graz had invite
d two US spec hologist, having
id er ed a re cognized gnat
een was co ns yne and
Carl Wirth. Lund arle s St ua rt and Everitt V. Pa
, Ch
d by McCollum
been influence n. of dental tech
nology. Each
ed oc cl us io , so a su bfi el d
pursuing balanc wax-up course red the articul
ator
da in G raz featured a ith hi m ; Slavicek prefer
The ag en face-b ow w s first ntal
de
ld br in g an articulator with W ith th is de vice he sent hi
­parti­cipant sh ou at time. wax-up
dl y ex pe ns iv e device at th th e ac cu rate occlusion and
wicke sed by
of ­Gerber  , a ree days, impres e first time and
52

G raz, w ho re turned after th e U nive rs ity Erlangen for th

­technician to at th
n had lectured
ee n. In 1970, Lundee
concep t of Lu nd again. Lundeen sends
invi te d to Eu rope again and by Slav ic ek said: “Professor
since then was cian sent It is dealt
in G ra z th e dental techni ed th e co ur se instead of me.
After the cour se attend “ 53
ld ha ve pr ef er red your having n m or e ab ou t that than me.
but he wou you having to
lear
you his regards ha s the feeling of
ther e an d he
with occlusion
iversity Zürich.
acher at the Un
iss dentist an d university te
), Sw
rber (1907–1990
52 Albert Ge lf Slavicek on Ap
ril 5, 2011
tion with Rudo
53 Conversa

40
 rs,
ght dental chai
he w as the master of ei
s prac tic e, he did tno
ar t-stric ke n in his soul. In hi w in g hi s ca re er path, where
­Slavicek was he eight assistants
. Follo
know enough
of
fo ur de nt al technicians and ne da rin g sa ying he didn’t
head of eo
there was som
ck up on without proud, ect. an
lo ok ba e desire d eff of all making
It w as a be lt which had th lle d in th e USA for first
occlusio n! e, Slavicek ca ntist co d
ul
vi ng ta ke n a deep breath w hi ch G er m an-speaking de
After ha in g nz
ndly experienc technician Hei
t w ith Lu ndeen and seco w as th e Austrian dental
­appoint m en tail befo re . It for Tem -po
in to th e su bject in more de 20 07 ) at th e ITMR (Institute
introduce him Walter Schöttl
(1921–
the non-academ
ic
or ke d fo r Professor Dr. 19 70 .54 Polz also knew
Polz w ho w
in Erlangen fo
unded in ng only st ju
r Re gu la tion) m th e w or ki ng group havi
romandibula Slavicek in turn
fro
ainting Slavicek
le r, w ho was known to to Vi en na now for acqu
dentist Ri eg
started. So Po
lz ca m e faced with a
dn ’t be lie ve his eyes: “I was
d he coul ay.
­personally – an in a different w
re pr es en ted everything
method which
sudd en ly 1971 fo er th
et Lu nd ee n pe rsonally in April
. When I m
It was stunning ec ia tion at first sigh
t.“ 55
l ap pr
first time, it was
mut ua p concept of
ex pe rie nc e with the wax-u
key So by
Following his for April 1971.
vi te d H arry Lundeen
Lundeen in 19
70 he in red th new
e
lle ag ue s in Vi enna encounte
icek’s co in the
and by also Slav tting at home
19 71 , Slavicek was si
technology. In
su m m er en burner for
w ax in g up using the Buns
ercised elled
garden and ex eover, he trav
he co m m anded it. Mor -
weeks – after
th at , rrying ou mas
t
19 71 fo r hi s first stay for ca
orida in r of
to Gainsville, Fl Gibbs, Professo
de r Lu nd ee n and Charles
s un
ticatory studie
on May 3, 2017.
chte/, retrieved
my/Ueber-das-ITMR/Geschi
://cmd.acade
se refer to: http
ry on ITMR plea
54 For histo lf Slavicek on Ap ril 5, 2011
tion with Rudo
55 Conversa

41
 an, affectionate
on m e be ca us e he was a hum
fluence at that
“L un de en ha s exer ted great in at ic s, he di sc overed humanity
oral biology. dogm
ly warm-hearted knew.“  He had
56

og ist . In gn at hology, sparse gl y ha nd ed ov er everything he

­gnathol and willin masticato-
a ve ry op en -m inded character bl e of pe rfe ct ly representing
time. He was capa
t (pantograph), al experience fo
r
d a ne w re co rding instrumen : “T o se e th is w as a phenomen is
develo pe lly d th
ree-dimensiona in it, that I studie
the mandible th as such interested
ry movements of unders ta nd it, bu t I w
furthe r tra ining
a re al ah a- ex perience. I didn’t r ye ar I tra ve lle d to the USA for
me an d e time pe ctive den-
re e w ee ks in de tail. Two or thre en ce on Sl av icek in reconstru
device for th greatest influ had been able to
.58
57 Lundeen was the
person with the than P. K. Th om as
courses.“  yne, even more his second
er , he w as al so convinced of Pa hi s ow n pr ac tice, he started
tistry. Howev e in
luable experienc the beginning of
ving gathered va r bright minds at
After Slavicek ha t in cont ac t w ith ot he
and geo-
d: In th e US A, he rapidly go de ne d hi s ho rizon medically
learning pe rio broa be
the 1970s and r example must
of es sio na l level, one furthe
graphically. At pr native Dane,
m Lu nd ee n: Arne Lauritzen,
t fro t
mentioned apar e same time grea
Sl av ic ek as a bizarre and at th 74
described by in 19
to the USA and
en ha d emigrated in .
person . La ur itz occlusal alysis“
an
po st do ct or al thesis “Atlas of of
published hi s ance
icek the import
70 s, he ta ught Rudolf Slav istry.
From th e 19 llability in nt de
cu ra cy al ong with contro
precision an d ac cement. Like
im po rt an t it is to carefully mix
w g
“He taught me ho ls at the beginnin
d to sh ow him our fingernai
schoolboys w e ha itzen w a as
er th ey w er e cl ean. For me, Laur
heth
of the course, w
d discipline.“ 
59

e of ac cu ra cy an
great exampl

5, 2011
Slavicek on April
on with Rudolf
56 Conversati Slavicek on Ap ril 5, 2011
on with Rudolf
57 Conversati ek on Oc to be r 1, 2011
nvers ation with Rudolf Slavic 2011
58 Co ek on October 1,
Conv ersati on with Rudolf Slavic
59

42
 rt in
et Charles Stua
av ic ek am ongst others m
Via Lauritz en Sl courses hich w
fo r pr iv at e ad vanced training
d him omas
Graz and invite e. Stuart and Th
ac tic e in Vienna at that tim
started in his ow
n pr mous German
tly an d w er e invited by the fa
quen e in
visited Europe fre 36) to participat
r Gu to wski (born in 19
gnathologist Al
ex an de develo ent pm
Th is w as al so the time of the
courses in Germ
any. concept
th e bi oe sthe thical occlusal
logy up to great
of classic gnatho 60 , which Slavicek al
so pursued with
bert L. Le e ys were
­according to Ro he less , thos e pioneering da
udied. Neve rt
interest and st nceded by ex-
by “t ria l an d error“, even if co
rized
largely characte
ceedingly few . le who work a
‘s m ot to s w as : “There are peop
One of Lauritzen k less and
es . Th er e ar e people who wor
ts of mistak e no mistakes.“
lot and make lo people who mak istakes only.
w m ist ak es . An d th er e are
e ca n le ar n fro m one’s own m
make fe that on t 70 cases.“  Th
ose
ek’s recognition
61

de d to Slav ic ith re st ored ab ou

co rre spon d th erew
Th is
the Stuart ar tic
ulator an . Despite its
d de al in g w ith ou t a re du ce d chewing ability
“I learne tients reported
ab
finally did not
get
ely stable, but pa rding to Stuart
­cases were relativ articulator sy stem ac co
ulators ere
w
l so ph istic at ed nature, the 1,50 0 ha nd -m ade Stuart artic
techni ca ou t
ldwide, only ab
distribution. Wor
comprehensive disc iplin e“.
62 since it was still de
alt with a “niche
sold
Gnathology)
thodontics and
d Gnathologie (Forty years of Or
opädie un
Jahre Kieferorth
to Roth: Vierzig
60 Please refer ek on Oc tober 1, 2011
nvers ation with Rudolf Slavic 2011
61 Co ek on October 1,
Co nv ersati on with Rudolf Slavic
62

43
 the
rience gained in
d to sh ar e his valuable expe
Slavicek w an te s around m hi
ud y gr ou p of like-minded dentist
a st urses
USA. He gathered e in practical co
ed sc ie nt ists to participat
and regularly in vit ge and alog di
ac tic e las ting se veral days. Exchan
s pr his
­taking place in hi rmed surgery in
rit y. Th e be st practitioners perfo l co nfi -
were first prio er ything was based
on mutua
k‘s pa tie nt s. Ev rs
practice at Slavice icek amongst othe
rs of th e st ud y group around Slav en ds ,
dence. Membe e close fri
eb er an d he r hu sband who becam
W a very
were Dr. Christiana egler working at
ic de nt ist s Krampe and Ri
or the non-ac ad em ople having the
ar y: it w as a st udy group of pe
mm ring
high level – in su ey had learned du
t be in g co nt ent with what th d
same interest s no e driving fo an rc e
uc at io n. Ru do lf Slavicek was th
their (university)
ed actice,
hool“ 64 was the pr
bi t ah ea d.“ 63 His “basic sc
“always was a lit tle ledge to hers. ot
e le ar ni ng m an passed on his know
th
but soon already
ge enriched both
parties. ted, above all with
Dialog and ex ch an e w as no t en tirely uncomplica
y group within hi
s prac tic was still the
However, the stud nt ist s. Du rin g the 1970s, there
de
of non-academic dolf Slavicek was
rther education stria. One day, Ru
regard to the fu n-academ ic de nt ists in Au
iplinary pro-
at ion be tw ee n academic and no re he w as th re atened with disc
­separ ical Chamber whe ly
the Austrian Med mstance absolute
cited to appear at ad em ic de ntists. This circu
train no n- ac l Chamber
gs if he co nt inued to further nt ac te d th e boss of the Medica
in co
ceed cial way, Slavicek ther they deve­
­displeased him.
Bypassing the offi as so m et hi ng set in motion. Toge
ddenly ther e w ists at the
he kn ew pe rsonally – and su ad em ic an d non-academic dent
m r ac
who ation institute fo newly established
a continuing educ ted Leader of this
loped the idea of 1976, Slav icek w as ap po in
edical Chamber. In n Institute).
65

premises of the M Afi ) (D en ta l Co ntinuing Educatio

ts (Z
rtbildungsinstitu
Zahnärztliches Fo

ek on April 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavic
63 Conversation ek on April 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavic
64 Conversation ek on October 1,
2011
Conversation with Rudolf Slavic
65

44
 u b t a b o u t d o g m a ti c s a n d
Do
o w n re s e a rc h
w­
and Lauritzen. Ho
ce d m ainly by Lundeen

S
itely been in flu en hand ­Lau ritze n
lavicek has defin ‘s “h yb rid po sition“ – on the one
gnized Lauritzen g canine g ­ uidance,
ever, he also reco gi st co ns equently supportin
inced gn at ho lo ced occlusion
namely was a conv pl ete de nt ur es he sold the balan
of com ays
as a practitioner ’t seem to be alw
on the ­other hand d le ar ne d it in detail. This didn
ollum because he
ha was both ed er
according to McC do ub t ba lan ce d occlusion. He
he started to itzen actually did
no
coherent for R ­ udolf Slavicek; lly ab raded teeth. Laur
poth es is fo r fu fe ar of
­ alance was a hy was the
because the b ed ed en tu lo us patients. Maybe it
ly treat
ural teeth, but on
longer care for ­nat ollum.
seen it from McC d his dentures
failure as he had itz en w as an excellent teacher an
Laur his
avicek regarded
te d pe rfe ct ly. Nevertheless, Sl y, th e
fit personall
w ith in cr ea sin g doubt; for him
­theses Gnathology open
ed up
ar ni ng pe riod had started.
th ird le bstantial plies
re
riz on s bu t di d not provide any su
new ho tion
masticatory func
qu es tio ns ho w dynamics of the s the
to ly to disc us
by ex te ns io n an d how particular
worked
terior teeth.
function of the an een admitted:
th e be gi nn in g of the 1970s, Lund
At er
eth, I carry them ov
tioning anterior te
“If I have well-func
to another case.“
and transfer them

45
 5

46
 6

n – a mathe-
table articulatio
“The Sk ills -re lat ed partially adjus vicek re ceived the
lf Sla
5. For his work aly sis an d evaluation“ Rudo tio n‘s Federal
al an Medical Associa
matic-mechanic of the Austrian
Su pp or t Pr ize in 19 75 .
Scientific lofacial Medicine
ry, Oral and Maxil act with colleag
ues
Group for Dentist has been in cont
do lf Sla vicek dy grou ps
his life Ru ernational stu
6. Throughout ha s led th e members of int r Je an -D aniel
an d of es so
and students r example, with
Pr
Above right, fo
to new insights. Sato .
essor Sadao
­Orthlieb and Prof
47
 more
le this procedure
d th e qu es tion how to hand
This ra ise you have con- to
er eu po n Lu nd ee n answered: “Then
­scientifically, wh r.“
ts, they know it bette
sult the or thodontis vicek started to
sic s wa s th e ca tchword and so Sla
Back to ba tists. They additio
nally
ely ge t in co nt act with orthodon at that
intensiv
­ ses, but
alo m etric im ag es and metric analy
­produced ceph the
ion and function of
itary sta te m en t on the shape, posit ry be st
time a un the ve
s lac kin g. An d Sla vicek had consulted
anterior teeth wa e message got thro
ugh
ou s or th od ontists. Gradually th
and mos t fam sion, parti larly
cu
a cu rio us de nt ist interested in occlu
that there was e beginning of an
active
e of th e an te rio r teeth. This was th el.
that on at international lev
nce and information
exchange of experie s practice, Slavicek
had
rin g th e fir st ce nt ury of working in hi nt s per
Du t 70 patie
ou nd th e clo ck and treated abou e beginning of the
1970s.
worked almos t ar
od m on ey from 1958 up to th
count, he had earn
ed go r knowled soon
ge
day. By his own ac an d “li ke a dr y ba th sponge thirsty fo
l limits ur
met his professiona onsible for their fo
However, when he 66 his wife piped up. Sh
e was not only resp , she
actice. In 1973
er education“  , counting of the pr
still practiced furth r th e co m pl et e ac
to either
children, but also fo wa s ec onomically not viable
r husban d th at it
demonstrated to he A on 220 days per
n pr ac tic e or to travel to the US
give courses in his
ow e to sell
t of hi s ow n po cket. “If you want m
financed ou
year – everything 67 , she said. So the coup
le agreed upon
rry on th is wa y“  
the children, then ca plete-
ch. Changing com
rit y of pr iva tely funded resear
an amicable m ed ioc ce he wa ed to
nt
no t wo rth co ns id ering for Slavicek sin
ly into science was

on April 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavicek
66 Conversation on April 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavicek
67 Conversation

48
 r: “It doesn’t make
led ge in pr ac tic e in a timely manne
newly acquired kn
ow a case
absolutely put his rt that I have seen
ho w it wo rk s. I can proudly asse d
records. I mus t se e ose years ha foun
ve
sense just keeping 19 72 in 20 07 at last and after all th
in
ehensively treated
which I had compr course.“ 
68

I ha d do ne at th at time – in gold, of ve“– William (Bill)

that it was right wh
at
in co nn ec tio n wi th the “American wa
be mentioned urse in San
Another name shall lf Sla vic ek on th e occasion of a co
ted Rudo personality who
technician contac ed, vibrant, amicable
Missert. This dental red ibl y am bit ion
“Bill Misser t was an
inc lly hard ex-
Francisco in 1976. un da rie s. I ex pe rie nced a professiona
ked bo eration.“  Missert
m sometimes overloo
69

due to his enthusias rd ial fri en ds hip an d a successful coop

t. This resulted in a
co ed  “Gamma
amination by Misser r, Ne w Yo rk , an d at a newly establish
Rocheste -called “navigation
ontic Laboratory in s of courses, the so
owned the Orthod te r, sta rte d a se rie
Center“, also in Roch
es nating from
Institute Teaching d hi m se lf th e na me “Gamma“, origi
he secure where to go, but
eeky-amicable act t the ar t of knowing
course“. Within a ch “N av iga tio n is no work
vicek‘s motto was: ts to document all
Slavicek‘s idea. Sla you are.“  70 He urged all participan
t of knowing where ich starting point
­navigation is the ar ps in or de r to ge t to know from wh
ste r year Slavicek
rk ed at all . Th re e to four times pe
they wo re built upon each
co ur se s in Ro chester which we
he ld nicians and
d at tra cte d de ntists, dental tech
other an Cooperation with
od on tists hu ng ry for knowledge.
­o rth 76–1978 was
m a In sti tu te du ring the years 19
the Gam
longer practicable.
fruitful, but then no

on April 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavicek
68 Conversation on April 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavicek
69 Conversation on April 5, 2011
with Rudolf Slavicek
70 Conversation

49
 ontic
the subject orthod
l Mi sse rt, Sla vicek encountered
Via Bil Frank Boljkovac
sse rt kn ew th e or thodontist Nickolas
pre-treatment. Mi dentist in Ontario/­
0), wh os e so n-i n-l aw, Dr. Kim Parlett,
(1930–198 e initiated by
rly pa rticip ate s in course offers in Europ
Kanada, still regula vicek in February 19
80
ljk ov ac be ca me acquainted with Sla
Slavicek. Bo erican study
th e Mi dw int er De ntal Meeting of an Am
on the occasion of ljkovac visited Vienn
a
Ch icago . Sti ll du rin g the same year, Bo at
group in th
incingly demonstrated
at Slavicek. He conv
for holding a course adults. So Boljkovac
pre-t rea tm en t was also possible in
­orthodon tic theory of pre-
firs t im pe tus to press ahead with the
gave Slavicek the cooperation betwee
n
Th e fun da me nt of interdisciplinary
treatmen t. ed since ll
sti
bu t un for tu na tely could not be continu
ed
odontics was establish
prosthetics and orth ca nc er within shortest
ye ar Boljkovac die d of
rin g th e sa me
du t only lose a
ek rem em be rs: “W ith Boljkovac I did no
time. Slavic
also a friend.“ 
71

good colleague, but as during

19 70 s we re a ve ry fruitful time full of ide
The
scientifically ortho-
ich Sla vic ek no tic ed how carefully and
wh ts. He was
cu me nt ed in co mp arison to gnathologis
dontists do ple. His ­desire to
pr es se d th ere by an d took this as an exam
im d soon became
research matured an
conduct more own ognition. Slavicek
cre te. It wa s a tim e of change and rec
­c on bstituted
w sta ge of de nt istry and vehemently su
­entered a ne
onal communica-
th eses . In th e co urse of this, internati
his encounter
alw ay s ind isp en sa ble for him. Also his
tion was rk fell in this time.
thodontist Arne Bjø
with the Danish or

olf Slavicek on April 5, 2011

71 Conversation with Rud

50
 r-­
So I became a hunte
nk ab ou t the individuality of skulls.
thi untreated cases   “
. 72
intensively
“Bjørk induced me to cumented ap pro xim ate ly 2,0 00
out 1974 to 1983 do were orthodonticall
y
gatherer and from ab mo rp ho log ic long-time study
teria for Sla vicek ‘s
The three main cri ost unrestored occlu
sion.
s, in co mp lete dentures and alm concept of sequentia
l
­untreated jaw
co nt en t is co nc ern ed, he develop the ed
ca se
As war as at in
alysis.73 This means th
tru sio n by ye ars of observation and an cont inuously
latero become
th e lab ial cu sp s of the maxilla shall
of reconstruc tio n al plane) from the
ati on to th e ref ere nce plane (axis-orbit
smaller in the inclin this as arbitrariness.
Slav-
t mo lar . Ma ny colleagues dismissed
canine to th e las the res that
t
wh at qu ick -te mp ered, choleric style did
icek‘s sometimes so me le
on as an enfant terrib
e Am eri ca n continent his reputati
particularly on th was intere d ste
we ve r, sin ce it wa s always the matter he
hurried on ahead. Ho “I have always tried
to
n sta te, he wa s able to live with it:
in and not his ow g this left vo t­lun
en ts. Th os e inc ap able of understandin
convince with argum Slavicek had publish
ed
nts and patients.“  If
74

pli es to bo th stu de ob ab ly
arily. This ap English language, he
would pr
mo re fre qu en tly in
his research results
ood much better.
have become underst generation of student
s has grown up
ce nt ur y later, a ne w
A quarter of a ness, but with a little
bit
bu tes his th es es wi th the same serious ary
which distri were vis ion
vicek’s assumptions
ity . Th e recognition that Sla ding.
mo re seren and complex is bin
e alr ea dy an d mo reover fundamental
at that tim

er 1, 2011 1984.
olf Slavicek on Octob Masticatory System”,
72 Conversation with Rud sis “Th e functional Determinants of the
l the
nd in the postdoctora
73 This thesis is fou
h Rud olf Slavicek on April 5, 2011
74 Conversation wit

51
 ng
position to prove by usi
Hé lde r Co sta of Po rtu gal was recently in the the m
So Dr. old skulls, all of
og rap hy tha t in ap proximately 200 years
the volume tom e. 75
ed a sequential guidanc
ate d by an y de nti st of course, indeed featur red in
untre been gathe
ea rly 19 80 s, Sla vicek ‘s study group having
As from the ernational and especially
ce since ap pro xim ately 1970 started an int
this pra cti y was particularly
ry ne tw ork wi thi n Eu rope in Vienna. German
interdisciplina re the Initiativkreis “U
m­
ed in the co urs e act ivity. Contact points we tio n,
involv titute “Informa
ort ho pä die (IU K)” in Berlin76, the training ins
fassende Kiefer h as well as the Inform
a-
do ntie un d Kie fer ort hopädie“ (IOK) in Munic r wi th
Ortho (IFZ) in Lübeck. Togethe
entrum für Zahnärzte
tions- und Fortbildungsz a training articulator
(SAM),
Mu nich de nti st He inz Mack he developed sug gest-
the and Mack“ as
via tio n ho we ve r do es not mean “Slavicek
whose abbre rtikulator München (Tr
aining
som e stu de nts of de ntists, but “Schulungsa
ed by
Articulator Munich)“. te in Düssel-
en ho ldi ng lec tur es at the Karl-Häupl-Institu
vicek had be ciation North-Rhine)
Moreover, since 1978 Sla r No rdrhein (Dentists‘ Assco
of the Za hn ärz tek am me level also.
dorf, training institute pular at international
yea r. Th e ins titute even became po
­established during the
sam e vividly urging him
int ed wi th Pro fes sor Frederico Gomes there,
e acqua the way, with contact
to the
One day, Slavicek becam erience there as well. By
d for wa rdi ng his exp Au strian
to come to Portugal an had been an
tur ne d ful l circle : Ka rl Häupl (1895–1960)
Karl-Häupl Institute the
wheel tion linger-
Go me z an d Sla vicek a long-lasting coopera
s encounter betwee n
­orthodontist. From thi ng to Vienna today
ou t 25 –3 0 pe r cen t of course participants comi
loped. Ab
ing until today has deve z.
guese school of Gome
originate from the Portu

ationship
morphological interrel
com puterized tom ography study into the lls.
three-dimensional human Caucasian sku
75 Costa/ Slavicek/ Sato: A the occlusal scheme in
posterior guidance and
between anterior and hopedics.
ontics and Orofacial Ort
76 German Board of Orthod

52
 , there was one sub-
sp ite his sou nd an d wide-spread knowledge
De tifi­
ither practically or scien
ek didn’t deal with ne
ject of dentistry Slavic r meanwhile an d he
pla nto log y. Ho sts of colleagues were bette
cally: im rch-
concentrating on resea
any time. He preferred
could get to help him at by himself wh wasich
dy na mi c fun ction of the masticatory system
ing the the
technology, providing
And finally on dental
multifaceted enough.
framework.
tools for this diagnostic e 1970s: He obtained an
invi-
s the ke y exp eri en ce of Slavicek during the lat e sub ject
At this stage tie ho lding a three-day cours
e there. Th
an y in Bu ffa lo for
es Comp omas and Slavicek up to
or-
tation of the Great Lak
ing fro m cla ssi c gn ath ology, systems of P. K. Th ree d an d
was the bridge build of En glish was not particula
rly good, he ag
sch oo l kn ow led ge “big
thodontics. Although his urse was attended by 15
rs ma nd ato ry. On arr ival he found that the co ile the re
made three translato ile meanwh
he ari ng wh at the Au strian had to say – wh
best, for in triple
ones“, the best of the provide a whole course
rs: “Th ere I stood now and had to
was no trace of the tra nsl ato y into a lan age un-
gu
d slid es, an d all tha t translated simultaneousl
projection – text, pictur
es an tion culture
77 Nevertheless, he was impre
ssed by the communica
e.“  
known to me. It wa s a tor tur open and unbiased for
s of the US A. Th e diff erent disciplines were
circle
prevailing in scientific erican society
flat hierarchies of the Am
ideas of other areas; scientific sub-
c dialog. Of course, the
supported the scientifi n. Even highly
the center of attentio
ject matter was still in learning. Slav-
shy away from further
qualified doctors didn’t
pressed thereby.
icek was sustainably im

olf Slavicek on April 5, 2011

77 Conversation with Rud

53
 gue, Professor
dontist originating from Pra
After the lecture, an ortho
vicek‘s great joy, he
1989) spoke to him. To Sla
78

Dr. Joseph Jarabak (1906– nths later put

him sel f for com ing to Vienna and just a few mo
had invited tionships again and
ially purely scientific rela
his plan into practice. Init ich were kept
ult ed in als o frie nd ly con tacts such as this one wh
again res an incredibly literate
Even by Robert Ricketts,
up year in and year out. ture for prac-
hav ing ma de com pu ter ized growth prediction ma
­scientist the American ortho­
several contacts such as to
tice, Slavicek established same day as Slavicek.
was accidently born on the
dontist Carl Gugino, who further and having
de Rickett‘s ideas thought
It is his merit having ma s by using com-
ed flow cha rts for op tim izing treatment procedure
­develop ting a cookbook and
inded me of a cook presen
puter technology. „He rem takes’. ” 79
ctio ns like in the rec ipe following the slogan ’one
giving ins tru
vicek at the Uni-
eship was placed with Sla
In 1978, a renowned lectur sthetics“: “I was a
De nta l Clin ic Vie nn a for the subject “Total pro
versity
what happened at university
r scie nto log y. I had nev er published and cared for
sword of Damocles ove non-habilitated
mo ned to the uni ver sity for holding a course as a
s sum
– and all of a sudden I wa
– what an anachronism!“ 
80

nti fic pro sth odo nti st

there. This made me a scie ctical lessons at
art me nt for tot al pro sthetics and regulated pra
dep
Indeed, he established a commissioner for the sub
ject
t at the sam e tim e he became an examining
university. This meant tha ses in Austria
e scie nti fic the ses , dis sertations and diploma the
r of som
prosthetics. As a superviso Dealing with his students
th int rad isci plin aril y as well as interdisciplinarily.
and France he worked bo d by the board
sid ere d the tea chi ng ma terial insufficient. Supporte
he con
stimulated him although

)
ph R. Jarabak (1906–1989
78 Rakosi: Mr. Professor Dr. Jose
on April 5, 2011
olf Slavicek
79 Conversation with Rud 1
vers ation with Rud olf Slavicek on April 5, 201
80 Con

54
 isual
minantly developed audiov
l Clin ic, Pro fes sor Dr. Ko loman Keresztesi, he predo e ham -
of the Denta with the title “Th
ng ma ter ial, e.g . in 198 5 a 24-minute video film
illustrating and teachi
mered gold filling“. College of Dentistry; in
he had bee n app oin ted Fellow of the International
In 1978 already ology
ARGE Prosthetics and Gnath
am e a me mb er of the management structure of a. Wit hin
1980 he bec entative for Vie nn
ain ed in thi s fun ctio n until 1990 as a repres
in Gastein and rem ent of the
lf Slavicek became Presid
uld be me ntioned that in 1981 Rudo
this frame wo rk it sho dicine and maxilla-facial
nn a of the Au stri an soc iety for dentistry, oral me
branch association Vie “All these were high and ren
owned
vic e-p res ide nt of the dental association Austria. Au stri a but
dentistry and to habilitate. In
the boa rd of the uni versity recommended me
functions, neverthel ess e this title yet.
nge tha t as a con vin ced practitioner I did not featur
stra
also in Germany it seemed 81 Even within a round of

tely did n’t ma tte r to him . Why should I do so?“ 

However, this absolu finally habilitate
ed pro fes sor s the y viv idly recommended him to
eem
­highly appreciated and est in our row.“  One would
82

rea son : “W e app rec iate your finally being accepted

substantiated by the uld
Slavicek that way if he wo
hardly have spoken with e
row. Slavicek could not tak
not have yet arrived in the fina l-
class consciousness, but
pleasure in this distinctive he
way because as a scientist
ly decided in favor of his n is
log for which publicatio
required open doors for dia
an indispensable tool.
halometric technology
Slavicek had applied cep m
ady and consequently. Fro
in his practice early alre etric
ally collected cephalom
1977 to 2000 he systematic of
rked through the datasets
images and constantly wo

Slavicek on April 5, 2011

81 Conversation with Rudolf
1
olf Slavicek on April 5, 201
82 Conversation with Rud

55
 ctice and
ntific standards, both in his pra
all his patients according to scie edible statis-
this together resulted in incr
as from 1988 in the clinic. All ld particu-
roximately 4,500 cases. He cou
tics, nowadays comprising app halometric
he had recorded himself. Cep
larly trust in everything what er program
ys are recorded using a comput
images were and still nowada er to allow
arks“ compared with each oth
and anthropological “landm ll propor-
e.g. about classification of sku
­important statements such as mandible.
the operating principle of the
tions, correlation dentition and ps and as
n followed his father’s footste
Slavicek‘s youngest son Christia in the first­
luation curves of the teeth
a young student entered eva developed
ctice. As an engineer, he later
IBM computer located in the pra application
reof and finally a computer
a cephalometric program the students
lied by approx. 400 Slavicek
called “Cadiax“, nowadays app olf Slavicek:
based on the theory of Rud
in their daily practice. This is every head
they are individuals. Therefore,
“People are human beings, but
with any standard of a table.“ 
83

is different and does not comply recordings (axiography),

8, cep hal om etri c ima ges were joined by condylar path
As from 197 1979, a new employee assiste
d
nal step s and arti cula tor development SAM II. As from from
functio ved
, the practice itself had mo
ctice, Heidi Taibl. Meanwhile
­Slavicek in his office and pra expanded to suc h an extent that
ße to Wid erh ofe rpla tz within close proximity and
Währin ger Stra tographer. Heidi Taibl
five den tal tec hni cians, one programmer and a pho
Slavicek employed every weekend, in each hand
Rud olf Slav icek hav ing started for lecture tours almost
­remem bers material. Meanwhile, all
alu min um suit cas e full of slide carousels as illustration
holding a large in the practice, there was an
IBM
ion s are dig italized . In 197 9 however, when Taibl started mm er
­illustrat cleaning the pro gra
es 1. Thi s dev ice was as large as a refrigerator and during
­computer of seri of the device at that time cou
ld be
to suc k it usin g a vac uum cleaner. Computer capacity
had

icek on April 5, 2011

83 Conversation with Rudolf Slav

56
 acquisition
ulator of today, with also the
c­ ompared with a pocket calc to one million
ts of the computer amounted
costs appearing utopian – cos regard to ad-
ctice into the first row with
Schilling, catapulting the pra ind. The IBM
of punch cards could be left beh
vancement. Finally, the times whom Slavicek
Werner Dietrich, a specialist
computer was operated by en he was not
thematician Peter Lugner wh
had gotten to know via the ma
versity in Vienna yet.
a professor at the technical uni an enor-
ilitation was correlated with
So preliminary work for hab
results and in 1984 pub-
cal effo rt, wh en Rud olf Slav icek in 1982 summarized the
mous techni versity was able to breathe aga
in:
ed the m as a pos tdo ctoral thesis. The college of the uni ation.
lish g at his qua lific
he said , com fort abl e, but this did not change anythin
It felt like, as capable of resting on his merits
into science without him being
­Habilitation further pushed him ld be a filthy rich dentist
not wan t at all: “If I had remained in the practice, I wou
which he did has taken.
t having regretted the step he
­today“ 84, he sums up withou atory System“
al Determinants of the Mastic
Since then, his work “Function to content with
not refuted. Some were unable
has been praised, criticized, but an race. “Just from
t there exists one single hum
the thesis proposed therein tha in, diagnostically
to conclude the skin color or orig
the X-ray image it is impossible can – it is a human
it is dealt with a Japanese or Afri
there is no difference whether ut during his re-
did not write but thought abo
being.“ 85 What Rudolf Slavicek (Volksschule). The
friend of elementary school
search was his former school ively thought of
at a nonsense“  , he retrospect
86
“Jew“. The “different one.“ “Wh
ustrian history.
this dark chapter of German-A

icek on April 5, 2011

84 Conversation with Rudolf Slav
Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011
85 Conversation with
with Rud olf Slav icek on April 5, 2011
86 Conversation

57
 ly published individual
Since 1978, Slavicek had continuous
arch, amongst others to­
results of his practice-oriented rese
of the Vienna University of
gether with Professor Peter Lugner
in mathematical calculations
Technology. Lugner assisted him
biomechanical questions of
required within the framework of
test challenges of work.­
habilitation. Those were the grea
s calculations but he merely
Slavicek relied blindly on Lugner‘
– you learn it!“  Slavicek did
87
­appeased: “No, you don’t believe it
familiarize with this subject
not understand why he should
nce only – since secondary
which served him for ancillary scie
cerned himself with mathe-
school (Mittelschule) he had not con
understand highly complex
matics and now should be able to
stick to his guns and chal-
equations. However, Lugner did not
ication with each other and
lenged Slavicek’s intellect. Commun
discipline of the other final-
the willingness to go along with the
ly led to success.
great examples, Popper,
particularly intensively with his
During this time, Slavicek dealt hypothesize first of all, was
r, Eccl es and Uex küll. If you wan t to know something, you have to
­Wiene this hypothesis. In any case,
entitled to either accept or refuse
Popper‘s credo. Then publicity is no insult if attention is
there dev elop s a dial og. Sud den ly Slavicek understood that it was
howeve r,
them or protect one‘s theses.
lts. One can admit errors, improve
scientifically drawn to incorrect resu is at university. When
ippe d with this con fidence , Slav icek submitted his postdoctoral thes
Equ
essor Keresztesi, board of the
material by the suitcase load, Prof
he additionally brought along file pter nine is mathematic.
y Den tal Clin ic said seei ng the external employee struggling: “Cha
Universit

on April 5, 2011
87 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek

58
 the early 1980 also inter-
malicious, but usual, since during
I don’t take note of it.“  This was not
88
of postdoctoral quali-
Slavicek stuck to his guns. On the day
disciplinarity was still in its infancy. habilitation supervisor, a
a festive ceremony took place. His
fication a large colloquium within talking about. Howev-
he had no idea of where Slavicek was
surgeon, had admitted before that whom he had dedicated
ly esteemed Professor Keresztesi,
er, before all the audience the high met his demand. For
chapter nine to me please?“ Slavicek
his work asked: “Could you explain ds at the same time.
self in the past to write with both han
being faster, he had accustomed him equations on one page,
rtest time he demonstrated matrix
Indeed he did so while within sho at the end of the paper. It
ng for granted presenting a result
scribbled formulas and finally taki bled: “proper!“ 
89

a mou se in the room . The only comment of Keresztesi was a mum

was quiet like
was awarded the venia legendi
Followed by his habilitation, he
a university lecture for the subject
­(university teaching credentials) as
eral Ministry of Science and Research
dental and oral medicine by the Fed
und Forschung) as well as the pro-
(Bundesministerium für Wissenschaft
lth (Medizinalrat)“. During the year
fessional title “Medical Officer of Hea n
ame the President of the Europea
of publication, in 1984, Slavicek bec en
Disorders and obtained the gold
Academy of Craniomandibular trian
trian Medical Chamber and Aus
­badges of honor of both the Aus
opera ball in a tailcoat with all of my
Chamber of Dentists. “If I went to the
it, I walked deeply bent.“ 
90

medals and award pins attached to

lectures at home and abroad,
During this time he held some -
his theses about cephalometric diag
amongst others in France where of
t interest. One day, a shy student
nostics were accepted with grea

on April 5, 2011
88 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek
cek on April 5, 2011
89 Conversation with Rudolf Slavi
lf Slavi cek on October 1, 2011
90 Conversation with Rudo

59
 rplatz and asked in broken
­ arseille came into the practice at Widerhofe
M
an insight into Slavicek’s docu-
German whether he was allowed to have
writing an own thesis. His
91
mentation on cephalometric analysis for
asked Slavicek to take over
name was Jean-Daniel Orthlieb. Finally he
me a member in his board
academic supervision of his work and to beco
the content work, a deep
of examiners. Rudolf Slavicek agreed. From
by. This resulted in regular
friendship between both developed by and
of the universities Marseille
scientific exchange within the framework
es at the Université de la
and Vienna. Nowadays, Daniel Orthlieb teach
Méditerranée.
who should take over
At the end of the 1980s, the question arose
ile located at Widerhoferplatz 4
Rudolf Slavicek’s practice. It was meanwh
Their father had never urged
and run by his sons Bernhard and Gregor.
However, cooperation be-
them but they had become dentists also.
difficult than expected. Gregor
tween both brothers proved to be more
Slavicek has an artistic dispo-
left the practice, Bernhard stayed. Gregor
professional point of view,
sition and is an excellent pianist. From the
Slavicek can say: “My son has
they are not in agreement, but Rudolf
found his way.“ 
92

engineer and made his way also,

His youngest son, Christian, became an
ly linked with dentistry. During an ad-
although thematically he remained close
way to himself. He finally founded his
venturous world trip he finally found his
implementing scientific knowledge
company Gamma and since then has been
se of time. Rudolf Slavicek pursues
gained by his father into practice in the cour
am interested in the products and that
this development with great interest: “I

rche d’un plan d’occlusion

Intérêt de la courbe de spee dans la reche
91 His work appeared in 1983 under the title: ch of a fixed denture occlusion plan)
in the resear
en prothèse fixée (Interest of the spee curve
April 5, 2011
92 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on

60
 calls his
a finger in the company.“  Rudolf Slavicek
93

everything will go on, but myself don’t have lutel y taken

regard to appearance and look abso
only daughter, Barbara, his sweetheart. With ification
girl in the fatherly practice after general qual
after her mother, she worked as a young , a post er was
own family. When she was a teenager
for university entrance before starting her oranges,
ntal home in Kierling showing lots of juicy
once hanging at the room door of her pare to be the
ing out. Handwritten she had added: “I want
in their center a bright green apple stand
t admiration.
apple“ and thereby reaped her father’s silen in
rhoferplatz was above all mandatory since
Regulation of succession in the practice Wide cs“ at the
artment for fixed and removable Prostheti
1988 Rudolf Slavicek as the Head of the “Dep ssor. For a
Medicine was appointed University Profe
Vienna University Clinic for Dental and Oral realigned
in 1998, he was a full professor and as such
period of ten years, until his resignation was a very­
the scientific and non-scientific staff: “It
the department and structure of both University
took over the management of the Vienna
creative time.“  From 1992 to 1998, he
94
was deficient
ed board. At that time, the university
Clinic for Dental and Oral Medicine as elect sums up:
had consequences on education. Slavicek
and under restructuring, which not least
le slowly started to
“It worked squeaky, as if an unoiled vehic
problems could not be
move.“ 95 This work was exhausting and
structure in mind and
resolved sufficiently. Slavicek had a hybrid
two years for training
an extension of the training period by
. However, this was un-
­medically and dentally within eight years
followed by another
enforceable. Today, studies take five years
year for promotion.

5, 2011
93 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April
Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011
94
April 5, 2011
95 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on

61
 7

62
 8

1970s
7. Contemporary practice furnishings in the
and 1980s
8. Rudolf Slavicek treating patients

63
 When Rudolf Slavicek returned to university, he didn’t
work with
want to primarily concentrate on research but to
ts. This re-
young people for teaching them dealing with patien
ns” during
sulted in legendary “Tuesday morning conversatio
d two or
which together with ten to fifteen assistants he treate
en that I
three patients: “I have perceived the students as childr
iful.“ 96
was allowed to guide. This was something very beaut
inted
During this time, Rudolf Slavicek also became acqua
attracted
with Thomas Wilkinson from Adelaide/Australia who
em-
attention due to his stoic calm and with his nonchalance
d him to
bodying the typical Australian. One day, Slavicek invite
audience
a lecture to Vienna at the University Dental Clinic. The
lecture
consisted of about 200 interested students. During the
y laughed. When the
Wilkinson made one of his dry, English jokes – nobod
, Wilkinson turned to him
­audience did not react during the third joke either
ek replied: “Yes, of course,
asking quietly: “Do they understand English?“ Slavic
has to encounter the pro­
but they don’t laugh since this is not usual here. One
whether Wilkinson under-
fessor with awe.“ The author is not aware of the fact
of the next opportunities,
stood this countered joke. In any case, during one
a joke!“ This was when the
Wilkinson warningly raised his hand and said: “It was
This episode shows to
ice was broken and a murmur went through the ranks.
above all international
what an extent interdisciplinary, intradisciplinary and
network contributed to
cooperation supported by Slavicek using his personal
questions. By the way,
international understanding away from any professional

96 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011

64
 such a routine,
travelling was a matter of course for Slavicek and
few moments.
that his l­uggage was ready to hand within just a
and Australia,
­Occasionally, his wife accompanied him to Japan
­Guatemala and the USA.
and so in
Slavicek‘s international interest knew no bounds
e in Kanagawa,
1989 he started a cooperation with the Dental Colleg
Georg Watzek
Japan. During the same year, together with Professor
rship of the
and Robert Fischer he assumed the scientific leade
tomatology in Vienna, an extra-univer-
­newly established Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institute for Geros
d to him, he accepted it although it rather
sity research institution. When this position was offere
guest professorship in 1988 had brought
represented an administrative burden. Moreover, a
– so internationality was highly popular.
Slavicek to the Royal Dental College to Århus, Danmark
guest lecture in Kanagawa, he had
When in 1989 Slavicek received an invitation to a
l cooperation for more than the next two
no idea yet that this was the beginning of a fruitfu
with an orthodontist on the same wave-
centuries and he would be able to take up cooperation
had no problems in trying to understand
length. Thanks to his longstanding karate lessons he
d by the Kanagawa Dental College in
the Japanese teaching method and way of life. Invite
the assistant professor at that time, Sadao
­Yokosuka, Japan, Slavicek became acquainted with
awa University was a further key ex­
Sato (born in 1946). This first cooperation at the Kanag
entire
perience for Rudolf Slavicek. He was faced with the
d at
scientific workforce of 50 employees, practically traine
Euro-
ten work tables with five persons each. According to
new
pean standards they got to know applications of
this
­devices in a militarily disciplined manner. However,
ished
was not the only thing Rudolf Slavicek was aston
e, not
about. He had expected ten students in this cours

65
 ­ fty. However, he refocused on experience he had himself made with
fi
a Japanese karate teacher and was adamant. Even when the first signs
of fatigue occurred, he demanded everything from his students:
“After ten hours of working without a break the team collapses from
­exhaustion.“ 97 Not least because of reliable translators the further days
of advanced training with 200–300 dentists went smoothly. Slavicek
sums up: “This was the starting point where Sato and I started to think
together. We met every year and rapidly started to communicate scien-
tifically, above all also amicably.“  Slavicek particularly appreciated
98

the Japanese mentality, especially the unbiased thirst for knowledge.

From the mid 1990s, Sato regularly held courses in Vienna. The topic
and task continuously was the scientific proof of the occlusal concept.
Testing and memorization en masse finally provided demonstrable
­figures: The large workforce of the Kanagawa Dental College enabled a
more systematic and detailed evaluation.
arly with regard to
Based on logical approaches Sato convinced and shaped Slavicek particul
ed by a Korean-American
the spatial representation of the occlusal plane. Sato himself was influenc
op Edgewise Archwire)
orthodontist, Young H. Kim who had developed MEAW technology (Multilo
1990s and further devel-
whose basis is a fixed dental brace. Sato took up this subject during the
of complex dysgnathia. In
oped it to a convincing non-surgical treatment concept for the therapy
For example, he astonished
this process, Slavicek persuaded Sato of the functional point of view.
grinding and pressing,
him with his thesis having been spread since 1989 that stress management,
pathological – according to
is a normal and necessary function of the masticatory system and not
. Before, Slavicek in turn had
the way of thinking at that time this was an “astonishing sacrilege“ 
99

“Treatment Success in the

been encouraged by the Swedish woman Karin Kail whose dissertation

97 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011

98 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011
99 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011

66
 sed
event of disorders of the temporomandibular joint“ he had supervi
and which had been published in 1985. Sato appreciated those new
findings with great interest. It was his idea now to create the masticatory
system to such an extent that it enabled the patient required grinding and
pressing – the reversed way of thinking: Not prohibiting, but making
s­ uitable, has been prevailing as a shared vision.
teeth using a
30 years ago, Slavicek had tried to restore the original shape of grinded
the knowledge of Kail,
­stabilized occlusion and presumably by applying much gold. Based on
and pressing are un­
Sato and intense reflection he draw the following conclusion: If grinding
only consequence that
desirable but necessary functions of the masticatory system with the
be considered in diag-
teeth or oral tissues getting destroyed, this fact is absolutely required to
used to tell students:
nostics and therapy of the masticatory system. During lectures, he
geometric chewing sur-
“A slightly gnashed canine is better than risking a heart attack.“  Ugly
100

, the function is always

faces have their justification if their function is guaranteed. For Slavicek
of an overarching significance. Esthetics is only second place.
diagnostics and is
Today, the subject grinding belongs to a core discipline of functional
in the focus during
currently experiencing a real renaissance after not having been so much
-Sato axis. Both of them
the past 25 years. That alone would not be possible without the Slavicek
the idea for recipes,­
were like cooks scientifically complementing one another: Sato had
Slavicek the sense for the right spice.

100 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011

67
 Those two teachers brought forth generations of students
who in turn networked together and developed new ideas. So
during the mid-1990s for example, course participants of the Karl
Häupl-Institute in Düsseldorf having encountered the ideas of
the Vienna School there founded a study group. The driving force
and mentor was first of all a student of Slavicek called Tilman Fritz
from Rheinbach near Bonn – and he still is today. The interest to
participate in meetings of the study group is consistently high
because postgraduates from all over the world are searching for
coherent concepts of functional diagnostics.
Just like the author himself, many dentists since then have an aha-experience and in practice
appreciate that thanks to Slavicek they have mathematically reliable parameters according to which
not only they but also dental technicians cooperating with them may work. According to Slavicek, all
examinations having been carried out separately at the patient before have a common reference
level. Thus, one millimeter in each part examination corresponds to a realistic millimeter – whether
in the mounted model, in the articulator, in the X-ray image or in the condylar path imaging.

68
 Retirem ent is not an issue

R
etirement“, for Rudolf Slavicek officially having started in 1998, is out of the question.
This was rather the beginning of what he calls his fourth learning period. In 1998,
he founded the Center for Diagnostics and Therapy of Craniomandibular Functional
Disorders and Oral Implantology (Zentrum für Diagnostik und Therapie craniomandibulärer
Funktionsstörungen und oraler Implantologie GmbH) at the private clinic Rudolfinerhaus in
­Vienna. After retirement, this practice represented the attempt to forge ahead with functional
diagnostics while being able to access other disciplines also dealt with in Rudolfinerhaus.
This resulted in a comprehensive ward. The practice was also the connective link to the post-
graduate training in cooperation with Danube University Krems.
Once again the postgraduate education of dentists was in the center of his activity. From
1999 appointed the Head of the newly established Center for Interdisciplinary Dentistry at
the Danube University Krems, Slavicek continued the training and further education of young
dentists. The objective was to teach graduates centripetally while sensitizing them for interdis-
ciplinary communication. Each dental specialist shall be schooled in each individual discipline
of dentistry. Moreover, Slavicek requires exchange relating thereto also on a par with other
s­ pecialist fields, for example of otolarynkology, orthopedics
or radiology. According to Slavicek, the objective should not
be the training of further specialists per se, but he aspires
to push the understanding for other specialists by inter­-
disci­plinary exchange. Since then, postgraduate education
has noticeably spread to Germany – namely also with a con­
siderably interdisciplinary background. Having been the
originator for this is one of Slavicek’s greatest merits.

69
 9

70
 11

10

12

9. Perception with all senses and attentive observation were core

­elements of diagnostics for Rudolf Slavicek.
10. Centre for Diagnostics and Therapy in the Rudolfinerhaus
11. Rudolf Slavicek in the 1990s
12. Timeless passion: sailing

71
 From 2000, international cooperation succeeded at other levels as well:
With Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston University, USA, as well as
Kanagawa Dental College, Yokosuka, Japan, Slavicek conducted the university
course “Therapies for the Functionally Disturbed Craniofacial and Masticatory
Systems“. In Boston, he had a guest professorship in 2004. Lecturing activities
at home and abroad, mentoring national and international scientific work of
students of the Danube University Krems, but also editorial tasks for prestig-
ious journals such as the International Journal of Stomatology & Occlusion
Medicine (from 2009), had been the impulse generator for a still enormous
workload which, of course, also during the weekend dominated the rhythm of
life of the meanwhile more than 80 years old man. The former stroke needed
the rhythm, even if increasingly as a “desk murderer“. In his office, he is still today surrounded by
books whose imprinting on the back provide a hint of his dealing intensively with evolution and
anthropology. A highly visible folio band about Leonardo da Vinci reinforces the impression that
even Slavicek is an all-round talent.
His monograph “The Masticatory System – Functions
and Dysfunctions of the Masticatory System“ published in
2000 became the highlight of his scientific activities. This
work with 550 pages and 600 illustrations became the stand-
ard work of dentistry. The list of publications comprises all in
all more than 200 titles.
The total of experiences finally induced Rudolf Slavicek
and some of his students in 2008 to establish the VieSID, the
Vienna School of Interdisciplinary Dentistry. This was initiated
by his son Christian based on the idea that the sum of experi-
ences made by each individual one by lifelong learning may
advance him. This implements practical knowledge above all:
“Nowadays, it is impossible to learn orthodontics by attending
courses and accumulating theoretical knowledge – one has to

72
 do it, and that under instruction.“ 101 Biomechanical relationships and func-
tional determinants of the masticatory systems have been in the center of
Slavicek’s research and development results for centuries. Therefore, em-
phasis of VieSID advanced training courses is on the holistic functional and
interdisciplinary treatment approach. Linguistic diversity to be listened on
the sidelines of the two-year courses illustrates the widespread, inter­
national network medical specialists, dentists and dental technicians join-
ing this event here. Practically, the courses have been taking place at the
dental training institute “Zahnärztliches Fortbildungsinstitut (ZAfi)” existing since 1976 and
at the premises of the Austrian dental chamber “Landeszahnärztekammer” for Vienna. Those
intending to be active scientifically may complete a master program offered in cooperation
with the dental clinic of the Vienna Medical University.
Courses are not only well attended because of their convincing content but also because
of underlying profound didactics. Participants particularly appreciate being taken seriously.
For Professor Slavicek, encouraging and challenging are compatibly balanced. Up to now, he is
considered the only tutor of Europe being in the position to offer the entire cake of the function
of the masticatory systems and not just a piece of pie. He does not allow being restricted, draws
connections and builds up complex models. The therapy approach developed by him is con­
clusive, practicable and feasible.
Rudolf Slavicek is a worldwide appreciated expert who, however, must confess that ­despite
his age and wealth of experience holding lectures is not becoming easier. Quite the contrary. On
the one hand expectations of the audience increase. They wish to hear ever more new findings
at first hand. Secondly, it is not getting easier to mediate the expanded conglomerate of
­information in a brief and comprehensible manner. Nevertheless, even at the age of almost
90 Rudolf Slavicek meets this challenge and responsibility involving daily desk work and still
a lot of travelling.

101 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on April 5, 2011

73
 During the past years, he systematically examined the collection of
skulls of the Museum of Natural History in Vienna using state-of-the-art
dental technology: Together with his Japanese student Ken Tajima he
scanned and x-rayed 1600 head skeletons of the Bronze Age. Particularly
attractive for Sklavicek are the masses of undamaged occlusions which
now require analysis. Also in these morphological and anthropological
questions the medical expert Slavicek eliminates the sharp separation
between dentists and orthodontists. “I have become addicted to three-­
dimensionality. Alone in 2011, I have learned so much that I obtained
a completely different understanding of the human skull. And this where
I had thought before already I was good.“ 102
The project was financed by a Siegfried Ludwig - Rudolf Slavicek
college fund, established for this purpose in 2004. Slavicek succeeded in
convincing the former head of the regional government of Lower Aus-
tria, Siegfried Ludwig, of the necessity to substantially support scientific
projects in the field of dentistry.103
Despite his age, Rudolf Slavicek is astonishingly fast and agile in his mind.
Never satisfied with current knowledge, he is capable more than others of
­astonishingly talking about new research results and to compare notes with
­colleagues. He especially supports younger colleagues in finding their way.
Moreover, since he is a sophisticated, comprehensive educated person, he also
succeeds in talking about cultural and social subjects in a slightly charming
manner. Professor Slavicek is just an extraordinary and fascinating person.

102 Conversation with Rudolf Slavicek on October 1, 2011

103 Dr. Karl Kummer-Institute: Fundamente für die Zukunft (Fundaments for the future), p. 126.

74
75
Membership in scientific
associations Bibliography
European Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders
Carabelli von Lunkaszprie, Georg: Systematisches Handbuch der
American Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders
Zahnheilkunde, Heidelberg 1984 (Reprint of original edition
American Academy of Restorative Dentistry from 1832–1842).
American Equlibration Society Costa, Hélder Nunes/ Slavicek, Rudolf/ Sato, Sadao: A three-di-
International Academy of Gnathology mensional computerized tomography study into the mor-
Pierre Fauchard Academy phological interrelationship between anterior and posterior
guidance and the occlusal scheme in human Caucasian
skulls, in: International Journal of Stomatology and Occlusion
Medicine (2011), issue 4, S. 10-19.

Denz, Josef: Handbuch für Dentisten. Ein Lehr- und Nachschlagebuch für Theorie und Praxis,
insbesondere für den Unterricht an den Lehrinstituten des Reichsverbandes Deutscher
Dentisten, 3 vol., München, 1st edition 1933, 2nd extended edition 1935.
Dhom, Georg: Die Geschichte der Histopathologie, Berlin (u. a.) 2001.
Dr. Karl Kummer-Institut (Hrsg.): Fundamente für die Zukunft. Die Ära Ludwig-Höger,
Wien 2011.
Heider, Moriz. Atlas zur Pathologie der Zähne, Leipzig 1869.
Hofbauer, K.: Prof. Dr. med. Oskar Zimmermann-Meinzingen, in: Münchener medizinische
Wochenschrift 1962 (104), p. 282–284.
Hoffmann-Axthelm, Walter: Die Geschichte der Zahnheilkunde, 2. neubearbeitete und er-
weiterte Auflage, Berlin (u. a.) 1985.
Kern, Ernst (Hrsg.): Theodor Billroth. 1829–1894. Biographie anhand von Selbstzeugnis-
sen, München 1994.
Kimmel, Karlheinz/Kaltenbach, Kurt (Hrsg.): KaVo: Impulsgeber für den technischen
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