diff --git a/src/demo-app/demo-app-module.ts b/src/demo-app/demo-app-module.ts
index 0a85b5da9475..e9d9cde47819 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/demo-app-module.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/demo-app-module.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {RouterModule} from '@angular/router';
 import {MaterialModule} from '@angular/material';
 import {DEMO_APP_ROUTES} from './demo-app/routes';
 import {ProgressBarDemo} from './progress-bar/progress-bar-demo';
-import {JazzDialog, DialogDemo} from './dialog/dialog-demo';
+import {JazzDialog, ContentElementDialog, DialogDemo} from './dialog/dialog-demo';
 import {RippleDemo} from './ripple/ripple-demo';
 import {IconDemo} from './icon/icon-demo';
 import {GesturesDemo} from './gestures/gestures-demo';
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ import {InputContainerDemo} from './input/input-container-demo';
     InputDemo,
     InputContainerDemo,
     JazzDialog,
+    ContentElementDialog,
     ListDemo,
     LiveAnnouncerDemo,
     MdCheckboxDemoNestedChecklist,
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ import {InputContainerDemo} from './input/input-container-demo';
   entryComponents: [
     DemoApp,
     JazzDialog,
+    ContentElementDialog,
     RotiniPanel,
     ScienceJoke,
     SpagettiPanel,
diff --git a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html
index fe71fed7f98f..491e8031393f 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html
+++ b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <h1>Dialog demo</h1>
 
-<button md-raised-button color="primary" (click)="open()" [disabled]="dialogRef">Open dialog</button>
+<button md-raised-button color="primary" (click)="openJazz()" [disabled]="dialogRef">Open dialog</button>
+<button md-raised-button color="accent" (click)="openContentElement()">Open dialog with content elements</button>
 
 <md-card class="demo-dialog-card">
   <md-card-content>
diff --git a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
index c2ffc0dad2ee..7323d8f67173 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export class DialogDemo {
 
   constructor(public dialog: MdDialog) { }
 
-  open() {
+  openJazz() {
     this.dialogRef = this.dialog.open(JazzDialog, this.config);
 
     this.dialogRef.afterClosed().subscribe(result => {
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ export class DialogDemo {
       this.dialogRef = null;
     });
   }
+
+  openContentElement() {
+    this.dialog.open(ContentElementDialog, this.config);
+  }
 }
 
 
@@ -48,3 +52,44 @@ export class JazzDialog {
 
   constructor(public dialogRef: MdDialogRef<JazzDialog>) { }
 }
+
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'demo-content-element-dialog',
+  styles: [
+    `img {
+      max-width: 100%;
+    }`
+  ],
+  template: `
+    <h2 md-dialog-title>Neptune</h2>
+
+    <md-dialog-content>
+      <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Neptune_Full.jpg"/>
+
+      <p>
+        Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun in the Solar System. In the
+        Solar System, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter, the third-most-massive planet,
+        and the densest giant planet. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more
+        massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times the mass of Earth and slightly larger
+        than Neptune. Neptune orbits the Sun once every 164.8 years at an average distance of 30.1
+        astronomical units (4.50×109 km). It is named after the Roman god of the sea and has the
+        astronomical symbol ♆, a stylised version of the god Neptune's trident.
+      </p>
+    </md-dialog-content>
+
+    <md-dialog-actions>
+      <button
+        md-raised-button
+        color="primary"
+        md-dialog-close>Close</button>
+
+      <a
+        md-button
+        color="primary"
+        href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune"
+        target="_blank">Read more on Wikipedia</a>
+    </md-dialog-actions>
+  `
+})
+export class ContentElementDialog { }
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/README.md b/src/lib/dialog/README.md
index d68f89f54aff..194b8fe0b969 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/README.md
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/README.md
@@ -4,15 +4,16 @@ MdDialog is a service, which opens dialogs components in the view.
 
 ### Methods
 
-| Name |  Description |
-| --- | --- |
+| Name | Description |
+| ---- | ----------- |
 | `open(component: ComponentType<T>, config: MdDialogConfig): MdDialogRef<T>` | Creates and opens a dialog matching material spec. |
 | `closeAll(): void` | Closes all of the dialogs that are currently open. |
+| `closeTop(): void` | Closes the topmost of the open dialogs. |
 
 ### Config
 
-| Key |  Description |
-| --- | --- |
+| Key | Description  |
+| --- | ------------ |
 | `role: DialogRole = 'dialog'` | The ARIA role of the dialog element. Possible values are `dialog` and `alertdialog`. Optional. |
 | `disableClose: boolean = false` | Whether to prevent the user from closing a dialog by clicking on the backdrop or pressing escape. Optional. |
 | `width: string = ''` | Width of the dialog. Takes any valid CSS value. Optional. |
@@ -26,11 +27,19 @@ A reference to the dialog created by the MdDialog `open` method.
 
 ### Methods
 
-| Name |  Description |
-| --- | --- |
+| Name | Description |
+| ---- | ----------- |
 | `close(dialogResult?: any)` | Closes the dialog, pushing a value to the afterClosed observable. |
 | `afterClosed(): Observable<any>` | Returns an observable which will emit the dialog result, passed to the `close` method above. |
 
+### Directives
+| Name | Description  |
+| ---  | ------------ |
+| `md-dialog-title`   | Marks the title of the dialog.
+| `md-dialog-content` | Scrollable content of the dialog.
+| `md-dialog-close`   | When added to a `button`, makes the element act as a close button for the dialog.
+| `md-dialog-actions` | Wrapper for the set of actions at the bottom of a dialog. Typically contains buttons.
+
 ## Example
 The service can be injected in a component.
 
@@ -62,8 +71,12 @@ export class PizzaComponent {
 @Component({
   selector: 'pizza-dialog',
   template: `
-  <button type="button" (click)="dialogRef.close('yes')">Yes</button>
-  <button type="button" (click)="dialogRef.close('no')">No</button>
+  <h1 md-dialog-title>Would you like to order pizza?</h1>
+
+  <md-dialog-actions>
+    <button (click)="dialogRef.close('yes')">Yes</button>
+    <button md-dialog-close>No</button>
+  </md-dialog-actions>
   `
 })
 export class PizzaDialog {
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.scss b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.scss
deleted file mode 100644
index c7675efbbbcc..000000000000
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.scss
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-@import '../core/style/elevation';
-@import '../core/a11y/a11y';
-
-
-$md-dialog-padding: 24px !default;
-$md-dialog-border-radius: 2px !default;
-
-md-dialog-container {
-  @include md-elevation(24);
-
-  display: block;
-  padding: $md-dialog-padding;
-  border-radius: $md-dialog-border-radius;
-  box-sizing: border-box;
-  overflow: auto;
-
-  // The dialog container should completely fill its parent overlay element.
-  width: 100%;
-  height: 100%;
-
-  @include md-high-contrast {
-    outline: solid 1px;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts
index 39a2db89cc50..c9726d9499c3 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import 'rxjs/add/operator/first';
   moduleId: module.id,
   selector: 'md-dialog-container, mat-dialog-container',
   templateUrl: 'dialog-container.html',
-  styleUrls: ['dialog-container.css'],
+  styleUrls: ['dialog.css'],
   host: {
     'class': 'md-dialog-container',
     '[attr.role]': 'dialogConfig?.role',
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-content-directives.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-content-directives.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a7c8e3875ef1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-content-directives.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import {Directive, Input} from '@angular/core';
+import {MdDialogRef} from './dialog-ref';
+
+
+/**
+ * Button that will close the current dialog.
+ */
+@Directive({
+  selector: 'button[md-dialog-close], button[mat-dialog-close]',
+  host: {
+    '(click)': 'dialogRef.close()',
+    '[attr.aria-label]': 'ariaLabel'
+  }
+})
+export class MdDialogClose {
+  /** Screenreader label for the button. */
+  @Input('aria-label') ariaLabel: string = 'Close dialog';
+
+  constructor(public dialogRef: MdDialogRef<any>) { }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Title of a dialog element. Stays fixed to the top of the dialog when scrolling.
+ */
+@Directive({
+  selector: '[md-dialog-title], [mat-dialog-title]'
+})
+export class MdDialogTitle { }
+
+
+/**
+ * Scrollable content container of a dialog.
+ */
+@Directive({
+  selector: '[md-dialog-content], md-dialog-content, [mat-dialog-content], mat-dialog-content'
+})
+export class MdDialogContent { }
+
+
+/**
+ * Container for the bottom action buttons in a dialog.
+ * Stays fixed to the bottom when scrolling.
+ */
+@Directive({
+  selector: '[md-dialog-actions], md-dialog-actions, [mat-dialog-actions], mat-dialog-actions'
+})
+export class MdDialogActions { }
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.scss b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.scss
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..06492d08629c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+@import '../core/style/elevation';
+@import '../core/a11y/a11y';
+
+
+$md-dialog-padding: 24px !default;
+$md-dialog-border-radius: 2px !default;
+$md-dialog-max-width: 80vw !default;
+$md-dialog-max-height: 65vh !default;
+
+md-dialog-container {
+  @include md-elevation(24);
+
+  display: block;
+  padding: $md-dialog-padding;
+  border-radius: $md-dialog-border-radius;
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+  overflow: auto;
+  max-width: $md-dialog-max-width;
+
+  // The dialog container should completely fill its parent overlay element.
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+
+  @include md-high-contrast {
+    outline: solid 1px;
+  }
+}
+
+md-dialog-content, [md-dialog-content], mat-dialog-content, [mat-dialog-content] {
+  display: block;
+  margin: 0 $md-dialog-padding * -1;
+  padding: 0 $md-dialog-padding;
+  max-height: $md-dialog-max-height;
+  overflow: auto;
+}
+
+[md-dialog-title], [mat-dialog-title] {
+  font-size: 20px;
+  font-weight: bold;
+  margin: 0 0 20px;
+  display: block;
+}
+
+md-dialog-actions, [md-dialog-actions], mat-dialog-actions, [mat-dialog-actions] {
+  padding: $md-dialog-padding / 2 0;
+  display: block;
+
+  &:last-child {
+    // If the actions are the last element in a dialog, we need to pull them down
+    // over the dialog padding, in order to avoid the action's padding stacking
+    // with the dialog's.
+    margin-bottom: -$md-dialog-padding;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
index 34855db3f59a..e88377b7593d 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.spec.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ import {
 } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import {By} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import {NgModule, Component, Directive, ViewChild, ViewContainerRef} from '@angular/core';
-import {MdDialog, MdDialogModule} from './dialog';
+import {MdDialogModule} from './index';
+import {MdDialog} from './dialog';
 import {OverlayContainer} from '../core';
 import {MdDialogRef} from './dialog-ref';
 import {MdDialogContainer} from './dialog-container';
@@ -308,6 +309,41 @@ describe('MdDialog', () => {
           .toBe('dialog-trigger', 'Expected that the trigger was refocused after dialog close');
     }));
   });
+
+  describe('dialog content elements', () => {
+    let dialogRef: MdDialogRef<ContentElementDialog>;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      dialogRef = dialog.open(ContentElementDialog);
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+    });
+
+    it('should close the dialog when clicking on the close button', () => {
+      expect(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('.md-dialog-container').length).toBe(1);
+
+      (overlayContainerElement.querySelector('button[md-dialog-close]') as HTMLElement).click();
+
+      expect(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('.md-dialog-container').length).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    it('should not close the dialog if [md-dialog-close] is applied on a non-button node', () => {
+      expect(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('.md-dialog-container').length).toBe(1);
+
+      (overlayContainerElement.querySelector('div[md-dialog-close]') as HTMLElement).click();
+
+      expect(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('.md-dialog-container').length).toBe(1);
+    });
+
+    it('should allow for a user-specified aria-label on the close button', () => {
+      let button = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('button[md-dialog-close]');
+
+      dialogRef.componentInstance.closeButtonAriaLabel = 'Best close button ever';
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(button.getAttribute('aria-label')).toBe('Best close button ever');
+    });
+
+  });
 });
 
 
@@ -334,13 +370,33 @@ class PizzaMsg {
   constructor(public dialogRef: MdDialogRef<PizzaMsg>) { }
 }
 
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <h1 md-dialog-title>This is the title</h1>
+    <md-dialog-content>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</md-dialog-content>
+    <md-dialog-actions>
+      <button md-dialog-close [aria-label]="closeButtonAriaLabel">Close</button>
+      <div md-dialog-close>Should not close</div>
+    </md-dialog-actions>
+  `
+})
+class ContentElementDialog {
+  closeButtonAriaLabel: string;
+}
+
 // Create a real (non-test) NgModule as a workaround for
 // https://github.com/angular/angular/issues/10760
-const TEST_DIRECTIVES = [ComponentWithChildViewContainer, PizzaMsg, DirectiveWithViewContainer];
+const TEST_DIRECTIVES = [
+  ComponentWithChildViewContainer,
+  PizzaMsg,
+  DirectiveWithViewContainer,
+  ContentElementDialog
+];
+
 @NgModule({
   imports: [MdDialogModule],
   exports: TEST_DIRECTIVES,
   declarations: TEST_DIRECTIVES,
-  entryComponents: [ComponentWithChildViewContainer, PizzaMsg],
+  entryComponents: [ComponentWithChildViewContainer, PizzaMsg, ContentElementDialog],
 })
 class DialogTestModule { }
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts
index fe15864617af..8c10cfd7d421 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts
@@ -1,29 +1,15 @@
-import {NgModule, ModuleWithProviders, Injector, ComponentRef, Injectable} from '@angular/core';
-import {
-  Overlay,
-  OverlayModule,
-  PortalModule,
-  OverlayRef,
-  OverlayState,
-  ComponentPortal,
-  OVERLAY_PROVIDERS,
-  ComponentType,
-  A11yModule,
-  InteractivityChecker,
-  MdPlatform,
-  DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule,
-} from '../core';
+import {Injector, ComponentRef, Injectable} from '@angular/core';
+
+import {Overlay, OverlayRef, ComponentType, OverlayState, ComponentPortal} from '../core';
+import {extendObject} from '../core/util/object-extend';
+
+import {DialogInjector} from './dialog-injector';
 import {MdDialogConfig} from './dialog-config';
 import {MdDialogRef} from './dialog-ref';
-import {DialogInjector} from './dialog-injector';
 import {MdDialogContainer} from './dialog-container';
-import {extendObject} from '../core/util/object-extend';
-export {MdDialogConfig} from './dialog-config';
-export {MdDialogRef} from './dialog-ref';
 
 
 // TODO(jelbourn): add support for opening with a TemplateRef
-// TODO(jelbourn): dialog content directives (e.g., md-dialog-header)
 // TODO(jelbourn): animations
 
 
@@ -184,18 +170,3 @@ function _applyConfigDefaults(dialogConfig: MdDialogConfig): MdDialogConfig {
   return extendObject(new MdDialogConfig(), dialogConfig);
 }
 
-
-@NgModule({
-  imports: [OverlayModule, PortalModule, A11yModule, DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule],
-  exports: [MdDialogContainer, DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule],
-  declarations: [MdDialogContainer],
-  entryComponents: [MdDialogContainer],
-})
-export class MdDialogModule {
-  static forRoot(): ModuleWithProviders {
-    return {
-      ngModule: MdDialogModule,
-      providers: [MdDialog, OVERLAY_PROVIDERS, InteractivityChecker, MdPlatform],
-    };
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/index.ts b/src/lib/dialog/index.ts
index bac800313647..fba41fd5e751 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,59 @@
+import {NgModule, ModuleWithProviders} from '@angular/core';
+import {
+  OverlayModule,
+  PortalModule,
+  OVERLAY_PROVIDERS,
+  A11yModule,
+  InteractivityChecker,
+  MdPlatform,
+  DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule,
+} from '../core';
+
+import {MdDialog} from './dialog';
+import {MdDialogContainer} from './dialog-container';
+import {
+  MdDialogClose,
+  MdDialogContent,
+  MdDialogTitle,
+  MdDialogActions
+} from './dialog-content-directives';
+
+
+@NgModule({
+  imports: [
+    OverlayModule,
+    PortalModule,
+    A11yModule,
+    DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule
+  ],
+  exports: [
+    MdDialogContainer,
+    MdDialogClose,
+    MdDialogTitle,
+    MdDialogContent,
+    MdDialogActions,
+    DefaultStyleCompatibilityModeModule
+  ],
+  declarations: [
+    MdDialogContainer,
+    MdDialogClose,
+    MdDialogTitle,
+    MdDialogActions,
+    MdDialogContent
+  ],
+  entryComponents: [MdDialogContainer],
+})
+export class MdDialogModule {
+  static forRoot(): ModuleWithProviders {
+    return {
+      ngModule: MdDialogModule,
+      providers: [MdDialog, OVERLAY_PROVIDERS, InteractivityChecker, MdPlatform],
+    };
+  }
+}
+
 export * from './dialog';
 export * from './dialog-container';
+export * from './dialog-content-directives';
 export * from './dialog-config';
 export * from './dialog-ref';