Aims: To use the Axis I and Axis II test items of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) to study the differences in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) between Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews. Methods: Sixty-five Israeli Jews and 50 Israeli Arabs who were referred with a proposed diagnosis of TMD participated in the study. Results: The overall male:female ratio was 1:7.3 in the Israeli Arab group compared with 1:2.4 in the Israeli Jewish group, with a significant difference in gender between groups (P .05). A comparison of women only in both groups (44 Israeli Arab women and 46 Israeli Jewish women) revealed no statistically significant differences in Axis I diagnoses, disability days, pain duration, and Characteristic Pain Intensity scores. The Israeli Arab women scored higher in Axis II parameters: Differences between the 2 groups were statistically significant with respect to depression scores (P .001), anxiety scores (P .001), somatization scores (pain items excluded) (P .001), somatization scores (pain items included) (P .05), average disability scores (P .01), and chronic pain grade (P .05). Conclusion: The results highlight the social component of the biopsychosocial model in sculpturing chronic pain behavior. Our research suggests the possible need for cross-cultural calibration of the Axis II assessment tools of the RDC/TMD. Keywords: chronic pain, cross-cultural comparison, culture, ethnicity, Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders