OBJECTIVE The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate shear bond strengths and microleakage of seven current-generation dentin adhesive systems. METHODS Standard box-type Class V cavity preparations were made at the cemento-enamel junction on the buccal surfaces of eighty extracted human molars. These preparations were restored using a microfill composite following application of either All-Bond 2 (Bisco), Clearfil Liner Bond (Kuraray), Gluma 2000 (Miles), Imperva Bond (Shofu), OptiBond (Kerr), Prisma Universal Bond 3 (Caulk), Scotchbond Multi-Purpose (3M), or Scotchbond Dual-Cure (3M) (control). Lingual dentin of these same teeth was exposed and polished to 600-grit. Adhesives were applied and composite was bonded to the dentin using a gelatin capsule technique. Specimens were thermocycled 500 times. Shear bond strengths were determined using a universal testing machine, and microleakage was evaluated using a standard silver nitrate staining technique. RESULTS Clearfill Liner Bond and OptiBond, adhesive systems that include low-viscosity, low-modulus intermediate resins, had the highest shear bond strengths (13.3 +/- 2.3 MPa and 12.9 +/- 1.5 MPa, respectively). Along with Prisma Universal Bond 3, they also had the least microleakage at dentin margins of Class V restorations. CONCLUSIONS No statistically significant correlation between shear bond strength and microleakage was observed in this study. Adhesive systems that include a low-viscosity intermediate resin produced the high bond strengths and low microleakage. Similarly, two materials with bond strengths in the intermediate range had significantly increased microleakage, and one material with a bond strength in the low end of the spectrum exhibited microleakage that was statistically greater. Thus, despite the lack of statistical correlation, there were observable trends.