diff --git a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html
index c87a0c9956a8..95340b58df7a 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html
+++ b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.html
@@ -1,7 +1,32 @@
 <h1>Dialog demo</h1>
 
-<button (click)="open()" [disabled]="dialogRef">Open dialog</button>
+<button md-raised-button color="primary" (click)="open()" [disabled]="dialogRef">Open dialog</button>
 
-<p>
-  Last close result: {{lastCloseResult}}
-</p>
+<md-card>
+  <md-card-content>
+    <h2>Dialog dimensions</h2>
+
+    <p>
+      <md-input [(ngModel)]="config.width" placeholder="Width"></md-input>
+      <md-input [(ngModel)]="config.height" placeholder="Height"></md-input>
+    </p>
+
+    <h2>Dialog position</h2>
+
+    <p>
+      <md-input [(ngModel)]="config.position.top" (change)="config.position.bottom = ''" placeholder="Top"></md-input>
+      <md-input [(ngModel)]="config.position.bottom" (change)="config.position.top = ''" placeholder="Bottom"></md-input>
+    </p>
+
+    <p>
+      <md-input [(ngModel)]="config.position.left" (change)="config.position.right = ''" placeholder="Left"></md-input>
+      <md-input [(ngModel)]="config.position.right" (change)="config.position.left = ''" placeholder="Right"></md-input>
+    </p>
+
+    <h2>Other options</h2>
+
+    <md-checkbox [(ngModel)]="config.disableClose">Disable close</md-checkbox>
+  </md-card-content>
+</md-card>
+
+<p>Last close result: {{lastCloseResult}}</p>
diff --git a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.scss b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.scss
index 5ac00398d901..60febd335283 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.scss
+++ b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.scss
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
 .demo-dialog {
   color: rebeccapurple;
 }
+
+md-card {
+  max-width: 350px;
+  margin: 20px 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
index 5935059be7c8..c2ffc0dad2ee 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/dialog/dialog-demo.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {Component} from '@angular/core';
-import {MdDialog, MdDialogRef} from '@angular/material';
+import {MdDialog, MdDialogRef, MdDialogConfig} from '@angular/material';
 
 @Component({
   moduleId: module.id,
@@ -10,11 +10,22 @@ import {MdDialog, MdDialogRef} from '@angular/material';
 export class DialogDemo {
   dialogRef: MdDialogRef<JazzDialog>;
   lastCloseResult: string;
+  config: MdDialogConfig = {
+    disableClose: false,
+    width: '',
+    height: '',
+    position: {
+      top: '',
+      bottom: '',
+      left: '',
+      right: ''
+    }
+  };
 
   constructor(public dialog: MdDialog) { }
 
   open() {
-    this.dialogRef = this.dialog.open(JazzDialog);
+    this.dialogRef = this.dialog.open(JazzDialog, this.config);
 
     this.dialogRef.afterClosed().subscribe(result => {
       this.lastCloseResult = result;
diff --git a/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.spec.ts b/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.spec.ts
index 2f7f0924dffe..3a1f31117165 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.spec.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,40 @@ describe('GlobalPositonStrategy', () => {
 
     expect(element.style.position).toBe('fixed');
   }));
+
+  it('should set the element width', fakeAsync(() => {
+    strategy.width('100px').apply(element);
+
+    flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(element.style.width).toBe('100px');
+  }));
+
+  it('should set the element height', fakeAsync(() => {
+    strategy.height('100px').apply(element);
+
+    flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(element.style.height).toBe('100px');
+  }));
+
+  it('should reset the horizontal position and offset when the width is 100%', fakeAsync(() => {
+    strategy.centerHorizontally().width('100%').apply(element);
+
+    flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(element.style.left).toBe('0px');
+    expect(element.style.transform).toBe('');
+  }));
+
+  it('should reset the vertical position and offset when the height is 100%', fakeAsync(() => {
+    strategy.centerVertically().height('100%').apply(element);
+
+    flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(element.style.top).toBe('0px');
+    expect(element.style.transform).toBe('');
+  }));
 });
 
 function fakeAsyncTest(fn: () => void) {
diff --git a/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.ts b/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.ts
index bf0c377abde6..5d268c40be34 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/overlay/position/global-position-strategy.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ export class GlobalPositionStrategy implements PositionStrategy {
   private _bottom: string = '';
   private _left: string = '';
   private _right: string = '';
+  private _width: string = '';
+  private _height: string = '';
 
   /** Array of individual applications of translateX(). Currently only for centering. */
   private _translateX: string[] = [];
@@ -63,14 +65,45 @@ export class GlobalPositionStrategy implements PositionStrategy {
     return this;
   }
 
+  /** Sets the overlay width and clears any previously set width. */
+  width(value: string) {
+    this._width = value;
+
+    if (value === '100%') {
+      // When the width is 100%, we should reset the `left` and the offset,
+      // in order to ensure that the element is flush against the viewport edge.
+      this.left('0px');
+    }
+
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  /** Sets the overlay height and clears any previously set height. */
+  height(value: string) {
+    this._height = value;
+
+    if (value === '100%') {
+      // When the height is 100%, we should reset the `top` and the offset,
+      // in order to ensure that the element is flush against the viewport edge.
+      this.top('0px');
+    }
+
+    return this;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Centers the overlay horizontally with an optional offset.
    * Clears any previously set horizontal position.
    */
-  centerHorizontally(offset = '0px') {
+  centerHorizontally(offset?: string) {
     this._left = '50%';
     this._right = '';
-    this._translateX = ['-50%', offset];
+    this._translateX = ['-50%'];
+
+    if (offset) {
+      this._translateX.push(offset);
+    }
+
     return this;
   }
 
@@ -78,10 +111,15 @@ export class GlobalPositionStrategy implements PositionStrategy {
    * Centers the overlay vertically with an optional offset.
    * Clears any previously set vertical position.
    */
-  centerVertically(offset = '0px') {
+  centerVertically(offset?: string) {
     this._top = '50%';
     this._bottom = '';
-    this._translateY = ['-50%', offset];
+    this._translateY = ['-50%'];
+
+    if (offset) {
+      this._translateY.push(offset);
+    }
+
     return this;
   }
 
@@ -95,13 +133,15 @@ export class GlobalPositionStrategy implements PositionStrategy {
     element.style.left = this._left;
     element.style.bottom = this._bottom;
     element.style.right = this._right;
+    element.style.width = this._width;
+    element.style.height = this._height;
 
     // TODO(jelbourn): we don't want to always overwrite the transform property here,
     // because it will need to be used for animations.
-    let tranlateX = this._reduceTranslateValues('translateX', this._translateX);
+    let translateX = this._reduceTranslateValues('translateX', this._translateX);
     let translateY = this._reduceTranslateValues('translateY', this._translateY);
 
-    applyCssTransform(element, `${tranlateX} ${translateY}`);
+    applyCssTransform(element, `${translateX} ${translateY}`);
 
     return Promise.resolve(null);
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/README.md b/src/lib/dialog/README.md
index 53ae1ec0bbcf..b9fb3c3c1506 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/README.md
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/README.md
@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@ MdDialog is a service, which opens dialogs components in the view.
 
 | Key |  Description |
 | --- | --- |
-| `role: DialogRole = 'dialog'` | The ARIA role of the dialog element. Possible values are `dialog` and `alertdialog`. Defaults to `dialog`. |
-| `disableClose: boolean = false` | Whether to prevent the user from closing a dialog by clicking on the backdrop or pressing escape. Defaults to `false`. |
+| `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. |
+| `height: string = ''` | Height of the dialog. Takes any valid CSS value. Optional. |
+| `position: { top?: string, bottom?: string, left?: string, right?: string }` | Position of the dialog that overrides the default centering in it's axis. Optional. |
 | `viewContainerRef: ViewContainerRef` | The view container ref to attach the dialog to. Optional. |
 
 ## MdDialogRef
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts
index a98f1b0a904e..070ed8272876 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-config.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
 import {ViewContainerRef} from '@angular/core';
 
 /** Valid ARIA roles for a dialog element. */
-export type DialogRole = 'dialog' | 'alertdialog'
+export type DialogRole = 'dialog' | 'alertdialog';
 
+/** Possible overrides for a dialog's position. */
+export interface DialogPosition {
+  top?: string;
+  bottom?: string;
+  left?: string;
+  right?: string;
+};
 
 
 /**
@@ -17,5 +24,14 @@ export class MdDialogConfig {
   /** Whether the user can use escape or clicking outside to close a modal. */
   disableClose?: boolean = false;
 
-  // TODO(jelbourn): add configuration for size, lifecycle hooks, ARIA labelling.
+  /** Width of the dialog. */
+  width?: string = '';
+
+  /** Height of the dialog. */
+  height?: string = '';
+
+  /** Position overrides. */
+  position?: DialogPosition;
+
+  // TODO(jelbourn): add configuration for lifecycle hooks, ARIA labelling.
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.scss b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.scss
index aa5b9909200c..73d419637094 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.scss
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog-container.scss
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ md-dialog-container {
   @include md-elevation(24);
 
   display: block;
-  overflow: hidden;
   padding: $md-dialog-padding;
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+  overflow: auto;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts
index a71b260e021d..5d1baf6b87e4 100644
--- a/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dialog/dialog.ts
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ export {MdDialogRef} from './dialog-ref';
 
 // TODO(jelbourn): add support for opening with a TemplateRef
 // TODO(jelbourn): add `closeAll` method
-// TODO(jelbourn): default dialog config
-// TODO(jelbourn): escape key closes dialog
 // TODO(jelbourn): dialog content directives (e.g., md-dialog-header)
 // TODO(jelbourn): animations
 
@@ -119,12 +117,26 @@ export class MdDialog {
    */
   private _getOverlayState(dialogConfig: MdDialogConfig): OverlayState {
     let state = new OverlayState();
+    let strategy = this._overlay.position().global();
+    let position = dialogConfig.position;
 
     state.hasBackdrop = true;
-    state.positionStrategy = this._overlay.position()
-        .global()
-        .centerHorizontally()
-        .centerVertically();
+    state.positionStrategy = strategy;
+
+    // TODO(crisbeto): replace with `horizontal` to support RTL?
+    if (position && (position.left || position.right)) {
+      position.left ? strategy.left(position.left) : strategy.right(position.right);
+    } else {
+      strategy.centerHorizontally();
+    }
+
+    if (position && (position.top || position.bottom)) {
+      position.top ? strategy.top(position.top) : strategy.bottom(position.bottom);
+    } else {
+      strategy.centerVertically();
+    }
+
+    strategy.width(dialogConfig.width).height(dialogConfig.height);
 
     return state;
   }