Skip to main content

History of the School of Dentistry Vienna

February 17, 1821

Emperor Francis I grants Dr. chir. Georg Carabelli (1787 – 1842) permission to hold extra-curricular lectures on “Zahnarzneykunde” (the first in the world, only theoretical training, however). Practical training only at Prof. Carabelli’s private practice.  

His student, Moriz Heider (1816 -1866), founded the Verein Österreichischer Zahnärzte (today Österreichische Gesellschaft für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde (ÖGZMK)) in 1861. This association promoted the founding of a training institution for dentists. Great resistance needed to be overcome.

April 22, 1890

Opening of the “Kaiserlich Königliches Zahnambulatorium der Universität Wien” (the Imperial and Royal Dental Ambulatory of the University of Vienna) at Garnisongasse 8/Beethovengasse 3.
Head: Dr. Julius Scheff jun. (1846 – 1922)

During the first years about 20 trainees (training fixed at 2 semesters)

1892

Relocation of the Ambulatory to Türkenstrasse 9 and extension

1894

Renamed to "K. K. Zahnärztliches Universitätsinstitut" (Imperial and Royal University Department)

1903

New curriculum for the Faculty of Medicine. Every medical student must attend a lecture and complete a training course in dentistry.

1914

Relocation to Florianigasse 46 and extension

1919

Rudolf Weiser (1859 - 1928) became the new head of the department

1920, 1925 und 1930

Ministerial decrees reorganised the training of dentists with the creation of an independent course of dentistry studies.

Confirmation of the Austrian rule that only medical doctors could become dentists.

1927

Relocation of the Department to the former garrison hospital on Währinger Strasse 25a.

It was then that Bernhard Gottlieb started his histological research, at first without pay.

First area of work: On the problem of the enamel cuticle

1928

Hans Pichler (1877 -1949), already the head of the Jaw Ward of the I. Chirurgische Universitätsklinik (the 1.Department of Surgery), also takes over the Zahnärztliche Institut. After this, the two institutions went their separate ways, even up to this day.

March 1, 1930

Actual Coming into Force of the Dentists’ Title Decree

1938

Many Jewish professors and lecturers had to leave Austria, among them, many from the Dental Clinic: Gottlieb, Orban, Oppenheim

1977

Renaming of the Zahnärztliche Universitätsinstitut to  "Universitätsklinik für Zahn-, Mund- und Kieferheilkunde"
(University Clinic for Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)

January 1, 2004

Founding of the separate Medical University of Vienna as well as of the Bernhard Gottlieb Universitätszahnklinik Wien.
The Medical University of Vienna was founded and from then on the legal entity of the Dental Clinic. In recognition of Bernhard Gottlieb’s exceptional scientific achievements of (1885 – 1950), who was born in Galicia, in what was then Austria, the Dental Clinic renames itself "Bernhard Gottlieb Universitätszahnklinik".

July 1, 2004

The founding of the GmbH (the PLC)

Since July 1, 2004 the Bernhard Gottlieb Universitätszahnklinik Wien has been a PLC, as a 100% subsidiary of the Medical University of Vienna. As the supporting organisation, the Medical University enables the flexible organisational structures for the non-university hospital operation in an academic environment.

2006 - 2013

Complete renovation and extension of the Dental Clinic.
After renovations, the completion of the first construction stage took place in 2010. The main entrance was moved to Sensengasse 2a. The second construction stage was completed in 2013.

Because of this, the University Clinic of Dentistry Vienna now also conforms to the latest standards from an architectural and constructional point of view.

July 2, 2016

Renaming of the "Bernhard Gottlieb Universitätszahnklinik" to "Universitätszahnklinik Wien" (School of Dentistry Vienna)

Heads of the University Clinic of Dentistry since 1945

1945   Fritz Driak (1899 - 1959)
1961   Hans Langer (1907 - 1974)
1974   Koloman Keresztesi (1916 - 2000)
1987   Georg Watzek (*1944)
1990   Wolfgang Sperr (*1939)
1993   Rudolf Slavicek (*1928)
1998   Georg Watzek (*1944)
2012   Andreas Moritz (*1960)