Tensile bond strength of four different luting cements to smooth dentin surfaces was measured. A chisel edged, stainless steel ring was cemented to the butt end of a dentin cylinder. The dentin was polished to a plane and smooth surface before cementation. The cements were also applied to dentin surfaces that were treated with a pumice slurry, etched with different acid solutions, or covered with different liners. The results showed that the polycarboxylate cement had a tensile bond strength to smooth, untreated dentin of approximately 4 MN/m2. The zinc phosphate and EBA cements had a bond strength of 0,6 MN/m2 and the composite resin cement had no measurable bond to untreated dentin. All dentin treatments showed in general a decreasing effect on the bond strength of zinc phosphate, polycarboxylate and EBA cements, whereas that of composite resin cement showed a slight increase.