The first part of this article is an edited Dutch summary of an editorial paper which appeared in The Journal of the American Dental Association. In this editorial paper, the author pleads for a substantial increase in training in the biological sciences and internal medicine for dental students. He also devotes attention to potential problems associated with the introduction of such training. In the second part, in a commentary on the content of this editorial, the situation in The Netherlands is discussed. The conclusion is drawn that in The Netherlands, too, in the dental curriculum, an expansion of such training would be desirable.