The purposes of this investigation were to observe the reaction kinetics of five commercial dual cured resin cements (Bistite, Dual, Scotchbond, Duolink and Duo) when cured under varying thicknesses of porcelain inlays by chemical or light activation and to evaluate the effect of the porcelain disc on the rate of polymerization of dual cured resin cement during light exposure by using thermal analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis(TGA) was used to evaluate the weight change as a function of temperature during a thermal program from $25{sim}800^{circ}C$ at rate of $10^{circ}C$/min and to measure inorganic filler weight %. Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) was used to evaluate the heat of cure(${Delta}H$), maximum rate of heat output and peak heat flow time in dual cured resin cement systems when the polymerization reaction occured by chemical cure only or by light exposure through 0mm, 1mm, 2mm and 4mm thickness of porcelain discs. In 4mm thickness of porcelain disc, the exposure time was varied from 40s to 60s to investigate the effect of the exposure time on polymerization reaction. To investigate the effect on the setting of dual cured resin cements of absorption of polymerizing light by porcelain materials used as inlays and onlays, the change of the intensity of the light attenuated by 1mm, 2mm and 4mm thickness of porcelain discs was measured using curing radiometer. The results were as follows 1. The heat of cure of resin cements was 34~60J/gm and significant differences were observed between brands (P<0.001). Inverse relationship was present between the heat of reaction and filler weight % the heat of cure decreased with increasing filler content (R=-0.967). The heat of reaction by light cure was greater than by chemical cure in Bistite, Scotchbond and Duolink(P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in Dual and Duo(P>0.05). 2. The polymerization rate of chemical cure and light cure of five commercially available dual cured resin cements was found to vary greatly with brand. Setting time based on peak heat flow time was shortest in Duo during chemical cure, and shortest in Dual during light cure. Cure speed by light exposure was 5~20 times faster than by chemical cure in dual cured resin cements. The dual cured resin cements differed markedly in the ratio of light and chemical activated catalysts. 3. The peak heat flow time increased by 1.51, 1.87, and 3.24 times as light cure was done through 1mm, 2mm and 4mm thick porcelain discs. Exposure times recommended by the manufacturers were insufficient to compensate for the attenuation of light by the 4mm thick porcelain disc. 4. A strong inverse relationship was observed between peak heat flow and peak time in chemical cure(R=0.951), and a strong positive correlations hip was observed between peak heat flow and the heat of cure in light cure(R=0.928). There was no correlationship present between filler weight % or heat of cure and peak time. 5. The thermal decomposition of resin cements occured primarily between $300^{circ}C$ and $480^{circ}C$ with maximum decomposition rates at $335^{circ}C$ and $440^{circ}C$.