The interaction between implant materials and bone cells or oral epithelial (OE) cells contributes to the clinical success of dental implants. The functional activity of cells in contact with an implant is determined by its surface properties. Before cells attach, extracellular matrix (ECM) in the serum deposits on the substrate; rounded cells then attach and spread upon it. Cells form focal adhesions and polarize, then start to migrate or proliferate to form colonies. Comparison of the attachment and behavior of osteoblastic cells on titanium (Ti) and hydroxyapatite (HA) revealed that more cells attached on HA and that these spread more rapidly than on Ti. In contrast, cells did not form good stress fibers or vinculin-positive focal adhesions on HA, whereas the cells on Ti possessed well-defined and polarized stress fibers. The initial attachment of OE cells to Ti was inferior to that on polystyrene culture dish or glass, and the OE cell migration area, indicated by the deposition of LN5, was smaller on Ti than on the other materials. This review summarizes data on the attachment and behavior of osteoblastic cells and OE cells on biomaterials, which may suggest future improvements in surface properties.