During Dental Technician School

Around 1966 (the exact year is unknown), Geller graduated from dental technician school in Vienna, Austria. At that time, vocational school students lived in dormitories for three months and were not permitted to return home. Geller was slightly older than his classmates when he entered the technician school because he had attended university and worked for a company before. At the time, there were about 30 students, both male and female, all young, happy, and enjoying a fun and beautiful youth. It was there that Geller met a female classmate who would become his future partner.

Looking back on his student days, Geller says that while there were excellent classmates at dental technician school, “I was particularly skilled at casting and denture fabrication.” Judging what was outstanding by modern standards is difficult, but Geller now says that even objectively, something about his younger self was different from the other students.

At the dental technician school back then, students were required to live in dormitories for three months, attend classes, and complete a four-year internship period (employment contract period) to obtain their qualification. To secure his employment contract period, Geller worked energetically in the training lab.

 The master technician who taught Geller the craft always worked alone. Geller was apprenticing in his lab at the time, and he watched with great interest, wondering what the master was doing, what he would teach him, and what experiences he was gaining. The master technician at the dental lab during Geller's employment contract period showed him great affection. This wasn't because Geller was a good person, but because Geller worked diligently and helped him with various tasks.

Geller respected his mentor like a father, and his mentor loved him like a son. They worked together while maintaining an excellent relationship. Perhaps seeing how much Geller loved the work of dental technology, his mentor gave him love and confidence. Inspiring people is incredibly important. Geller was inspired by his master to love the work of dental technology. I think the master had already recognized Geller's talent at this point. The master treated Geller better than his own son. Geller never discussed this matter with his master's son, but he remarked, “I suppose it's because his son and I grew up together like friends.” I believe this stemmed from the master—a father and fellow technician—being the one who knew Geller's talent, his patience in his work, and his single-minded focus better than anyone else. The master's son did not follow in his father's footsteps and became a metal engraver instead. In that sense too, I believe the master entrusted Geller with the role his son might have filled and cherished him dearly.

Geller commuted by bicycle every day, regardless of whether it was snowing or raining, taking 40 minutes each way. One morning when he arrived at the lab, he found his mentor lying face down asleep on the technician's desk. As a recent graduate of technical school, Geller couldn't believe the situation. At the time, he couldn't understand such behavior from his boss or the world of dental technicians. Geller simply said, “Good morning,” entered the lab, and never asked him why he was sleeping at his desk. Perhaps he deliberately showed me that side of himself. He was good-looking and handsome. He worked constantly, day and night. I think the truth is that he worked late into the night and fell asleep while working. 

This was a common sight for dental technicians at the time.

For example, today, Geller sometimes bonds veneers in the oral cavity, takes impressions, and performs all the procedures himself. I think this is influenced by his first boss at the dental laboratory. At that time, the situation was completely different from today. That boss was a dental technician, but he also performed abutment preparation in the patient's oral cavity. (Regardless of this boss, there were many such dental technicians around the world, although not many.) While working as an assistant, Geller learned a lot from his boss, such as filling a barber's blow dryer with water and dripping it onto the teeth one drop at a time to prevent them from overheating while his boss was forming the abutment teeth. (Geller saw a barber cleaning up hair clippings with a blow dryer and came up with the idea of filling the blow dryer with water to turn it into a large dropper.) Geller always kept the wealth of experience he gained from his boss in the back of his mind. One day, he found himself unconsciously putting those lessons into practice. Looking back now, it's fascinating how those early experiences continue to influence Geller's work today. 

Four years later, as his employment contract neared its end, Geller told his mentor, “When my contract expires, I will be resigning.” His mentor replied, “Why don't you just stay here? You don't have to leave.” However, on the very day his contract ended, Geller simply said, “I will be resigning,” and left the lab.

Geller never spoke of his feelings at that time, but as noted above, he fully sensed his master's affection for him, so it must have been a painful decision.

Geller believed in his own talent and decided to seek employment at another dental laboratory. His master, having already recognized his talent, did not try to keep Geller beyond what was necessary.