AIMS: This study had two aims: to assess the nature of the relationship between general practitioners (GPs) and dental surgeons in relation to patient care and to evaluate qualitatively their interest in the changes that health networks and shared patient medical files could bring. METHODS: Questionnaires were completed by 12 GPs belonging to ASDES, a private practitioner-hospital health network that seeks to promote a partnership between physicians and dental surgeons, and by 13 private dental surgeons in the network catchment area. RESULTS: The GPs and dentists had quite different perceptions of their relationship. Most dentists rated their relationship with GPs as "good" to "excellent" and did not wish to modify it, while GPs rated their relationship with dentists as nonexistent and expressed a desire to change the situation. Some GPs and some dentists supported data exchange by sharing personal medical files through the network. CONCLUSION: Many obstacles hinder communication between GPs and dentists. There is insufficient coordination between professionals. Health professionals must be made aware of how changes in the health care system (health networks, personal medical files, etc) can help to provide patients with optimal care. Technical innovations in medicine will not be beneficial to patients unless medical education and training begins to include interdisciplinary and holistic approaches to health care and preventive care.