Greene Vardiman Black (1836 - 1915), commonly known as G.V. Black, is known as one of the founders of modern dentistry in the United States. He researched many important topics to dentistry, including the best composition for dental amalgams and the cause of dental fluorosis. One of his many inventions was a foot-driven dental drill. Black was the first to use nitrous oxide for "extracting teeth without pain." He is also known for his principles of tooth preparations, in which he outlines the proper methods to prepare teeth for fillings. 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. Further, he organized Black's Classification of Caries Lesions which is still in use today. Since that time, only one more category has been added to his classification system. G.V. Black was also the first Dean of Northwestern University Dental School, where his portrait hung until the school's closure in 2001. His statue can be found in Chicago's Lincoln Park. He was also inducted in the International Hall of Fame of Dentistry of the Pierre Fauchard Academy on February 25, 1995. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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