Dental resin cement materials having unique handling properties are provided that comprise a) filler, b) polymerizable resin, and c) a polymeric handling modifier that is dispersed in the polymerizable resin at 25.degree. C. and that has a molecular weight of between about 500 and 100,000. Components a) b) and c) are present in an amount effective to achieve a Viscosity vs Shear Rate Curve that fits a power law model of F(x)=A x.sup.B. The correlation value of the material to this curve is greater than 0.85 for both the increasing and decreasing shear rate curves, and the value of B is less than about -0.01. Resin cements are also provided that comprise acid functionality and water, but which do not comprise an acid reactive filler. Such cements may be self etching, thereby avoiding the need to carry out a separate acid etch step.