He studied dentistry for 20 months (as was common at the time) followed by an apprenticeship [2] He taught in the Dental Department at the University of Iowa, beginning at 1890 before moving to Chicago.

He researched many important topics to dentistry, including the cause of dental fluorosis[3] and ideal cavity preparations.

[4] The phrase, "extension for prevention," is still famous in the dental community today and represents Black's idea that dentists should incorporate more grooves and pits than those currently exhibiting decay as a preventive measure against those grooves and pits developing tooth decay in the future, although today ideas have changed and focus much more on minimal intervention.

[6][7] His statue can be found at the very southern edge of Chicago's Lincoln Park, at North Avenue, facing down Astor Street.

[8] Black died from pernicious anemia on his farm in Jacksonville, Illinois on August 31 1915, at the age of 79 years.