Registration No. 333-_________

      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 8, 2004


                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                ----------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                ----------------

                          BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     Delaware                                          59-1513162
     (State or other jurisdiction of                   (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                    Identification No.)

     Bentley Park, 2 Holland Way, Exeter, NH           03833
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)          (Zip Code)

                        2001 DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 James R. Murphy
                 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
                          Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
                                  Bentley Park
                                  2 Holland Way
                                Exeter, NH 03833
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (603) 658-6100
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                 with a copy to:

                             Jordan A. Horvath, Esq.
                       Vice President and General Counsel
                          Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
                                  Bentley Park
                                  2 Holland Way
                                Exeter, NH 03833
                                 (212) 874-4110

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to public: As soon as
practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.


<PAGE>



                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Proposed          Proposed
Title of                                     Amount               maximum           maximum
securities                                   to be                price per         offering          Registration
to be registered                             registered(1)        share             price             fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                           <C>             <C>                <C>                   <C>
Common Stock, $.02 par value per share        337,100         (2)$10.89          (2)$3,671,019         (2)$465
Common Stock, $.02 par value per share        137,900            $10.04             $1,384,516            $175
Common Stock, $.02 par value per share         25,000           $13.475               $336,875             $43

TOTAL                                                                                                     $683
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416(b), there shall also be deemed covered hereby all
         additional securities resulting from anti-dilution adjustments under
         the 2001 Directors' Stock Option Plan.

(2)      The price per share is estimated solely for the purpose of calculating
         the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c); based on the average of
         the high and low prices for the Common Stock as reported on the
         American Stock Exchange on March 2, 2004.

<PAGE>

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form
S-8 will be sent or given to the participating directors as specified by Rule
428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933. Such documents and the documents
incorporated by reference herein pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof, taken
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Sections 10(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933.


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents heretofore filed by Bentley Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (the "Company" or the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") are incorporated herein by reference:

         (a)      the Company's Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
                  31, 2003;

         (b)      the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 18,
                  2004;

         (c)      the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 27,
                  2004; and

         (d)      the description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
                  Company's Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on
                  Form 8-A/A filed with the Commission on October 29, 1999.

         All documents filed subsequent to the date of this Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act and
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of
such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement.



                                       1
<PAGE>

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         The Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the
"Certificate") provides that the liability of a director of the Company shall be
eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General
Corporation Law (the "DGCL"). Under the DGCL, the directors have a fiduciary
duty to the Company which is not eliminated by this provision of the Certificate
and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies such as injunctive or
other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available. In addition, each
director will continue to be subject to liability under the DGCL for breach of
the director's duty of loyalty to the Company, for acts or omissions which are
found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be not in good faith or involving
intentional misconduct, for knowing violations of law, for actions leading to
improper personal benefit to the director, and for payment of dividends or
approval of stock repurchases or redemptions that are prohibited by DGCL. This
provision also does not affect the directors' responsibilities under any other
laws, such as the Federal securities laws or state or Federal environmental
laws. The Company has obtained liability insurance for its officers and
directors

         Section 145 of the DGCL empowers a corporation to indemnify its
directors and officers and to purchase insurance with respect to liability
arising out of their capacity or status as directors and officers, provided that
this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director: (i) for
any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) arising under
Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director
derived an improper personal benefit. The DGCL provides further that the
indemnification permitted thereunder shall not be deemed exclusive of any other
rights to which the directors and officers may be entitled under the
corporation's bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or otherwise. The
Certificate eliminates the personal liability of directors to the fullest extent
permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL and provides that the Company shall
fully indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a
party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding
(whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) by reason of the fact
that such person is or was a director or officer of the Company, or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director or officer of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise, against expenses (including attorney's fees), judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding. At present, there is no pending
litigation or proceeding involving any director, officer, employee or agent as
to which indemnification will be required or permitted under the


                                       2
<PAGE>

Certificate. The Company is not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding
that may result in a claim for such indemnification.

         In addition, the Company has insurance policies with Admiral Insurance
Company and Zurich American Insurance Company in the aggregate amount of
$10,000,000 with respect to potential liabilities of its directors and officers.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to the Company's directors, officers and
controlling persons pursuant to the provisions described above, or otherwise,
the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than payment of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered for
resale, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has
been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.


        Number           Description of Exhibit
        ------           ----------------------

         *4.1     Company's 2001 Directors' Stock Option Plan, restated to
                  include all amendments thereto

         *5.1     Opinion of Jordan A. Horvath, counsel to the Company

         *23.1    Independent Auditors' Consent

         *23.2    Consent of Jordan A. Horvath (included in exhibit 5.1 hereto)

         *24.1    Power of Attorney (included in signature page)

----------

*Filed herewith



                                       3
<PAGE>

Item 9.  Undertakings.

         (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), if in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration
Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement.

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or
any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
relating to the

                                       4
<PAGE>

securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6
above, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy
as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.



                                       5
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Exeter, New Hampshire, on the 4th day of March, 2004.


                                            BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.


                                            By:      /S/ JAMES R. MURPHY
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               James R. Murphy
                                               Chairman, President and Chief
                                               Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints each of James R. Murphy, Michael D. Price
and Jordan A. Horvath and each of them with power of substitution, as his
attorney-in-fact, in all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Registration
Statement (including post-effective amendments) and to file the same, with
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
said attorney-in-facts or their substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 4th day of March, 2004.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              Signature                                 Title
              ---------                                 -----
<S>                                                 <C>
/S/ JAMES R. MURPHY                                Chairman,  President, Chief Executive Officer
--------------------------------------             and Director (principal executive officer)
James R. Murphy

/S/ MICHAEL MCGOVERN                               Vice Chairman and Director
--------------------------------------
Michael McGovern

/S/ ROBERT M. STOTE                                Senior Vice President, Chief Science Officer
--------------------------------------             and Director
Robert M. Stote

/S/ MICHAEL D. PRICE                               Vice President, Chief Financial Officer,
--------------------------------------             Treasurer, Secretary and Director (principal
Michael D. Price                                   financial and accounting officer)


/S/ ROBERT J. GYURIK                               Vice President of Pharmaceutical Development
--------------------------------------             and Director
Robert J. Gyurik
</TABLE>



<PAGE>

 /S/ CHARLES L. BOLLING                            Director
--------------------------------------
 Charles L. Bolling

 /S/ MIGUEL FERNANDEZ                              Director
--------------------------------------
 Miguel Fernandez

 /S/WILLIAM A. PACKER                              Director
--------------------------------------
 William A. Packer

 /S/ JOHN W. SPIEGEL                               Director
--------------------------------------
 John W. Spiegel






<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


        Number               Description of Exhibit
        ------               ----------------------

         *4.1        Company's 2001 Directors' Stock Option Plan, restated to
                     include all amendments thereto.

         *5.1        Opinion of Jordan A. Horvath, counsel to the Company

        *23.1        Independent Auditors' Consent

        *23.2        Consent of Jordan A. Horvath (included in exhibit 5.1
                     hereto)

        *24.1        Power of Attorney (included in signature page)

----------
*Filed herewith
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "s8dsop2001.txt", "description": "2001 DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN", "secsgml_size_bytes": 20371}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS INC", "cik": "0000821616", "assigned-sic": "2834", "irs-number": "591513162", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-113388", "film-number": "04654861"}, "business-address": {"street1": "BENTLEY PARK", "street2": "2 HOLLAND WAY", "city": "EXETER", "state": "NH", "zip": "03833", "phone": "6036586100"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "BENTLEY PARK", "street2": "2 HOLLAND WAY", "city": "EXETER", "state": "NH", "zip": "03833"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "BELMAC CORP /FL/", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
Registration No. 333-_________

      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 8, 2004

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                ----------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                ----------------

                          BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     Delaware                                          59-1513162
     (State or other jurisdiction of                   (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                    Identification No.)

     Bentley Park, 2 Holland Way, Exeter, NH           03833
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)          (Zip Code)

                        2001 DIRECTORS' STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                 James R. Murphy
                 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
                          Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
                                  Bentley Park
                                  2 Holland Way
                                Exeter, NH 03833
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (603) 658-6100
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                 with a copy to:

                             Jordan A. Horvath, Esq.
                       Vice President and General Counsel
                          Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
                                  Bentley Park
                                  2 Holland Way
                                Exeter, NH 03833
                                 (212) 874-4110

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to public: As soon as
practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed          Proposed
Title of                                     Amount               maximum           maximum
securities                                   to be                price per         offering          Registration
to be registered                             registered(1)        share             price             fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, $.02 par value per share        337,100         (2)$10.89          (2)$3,671,019         (2)$465
Common Stock, $.02 par value per share        137,900            $10.04             $1,384,516            $175
Common Stock, $.02 par value per share         25,000           $13.475               $336,875             $43

TOTAL                                                                                                     $683
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416(b), there shall also be deemed covered hereby all
         additional securities resulting from anti-dilution adjustments under
         the 2001 Directors' Stock Option Plan.

(2)      The price per share is estimated solely for the purpose of calculating
         the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c); based on the average of
         the high and low prices for the Common Stock as reported on the
         American Stock Exchange on March 2, 2004.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form
S-8 will be sent or given to the participating directors as specified by Rule
428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933. Such documents and the documents
incorporated by reference herein pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof, taken
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Sections 10(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The following documents heretofore filed by Bentley Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (the "Company" or the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") are incorporated herein by reference:

         (a)      the Company's Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
                  31, 2003;

         (b)      the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 18,
                  2004;

         (c)      the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 27,
                  2004; and

         (d)      the description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
                  Company's Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on
                  Form 8-A/A filed with the Commission on October 29, 1999.

         All documents filed subsequent to the date of this Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act and
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all
securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then
remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of
such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such
statement.

                                       1
Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         The Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the
"Certificate") provides that the liability of a director of the Company shall be
eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General
Corporation Law (the "DGCL"). Under the DGCL, the directors have a fiduciary
duty to the Company which is not eliminated by this provision of the Certificate
and, in appropriate circumstances, equitable remedies such as injunctive or
other forms of non-monetary relief will remain available. In addition, each
director will continue to be subject to liability under the DGCL for breach of
the director's duty of loyalty to the Company, for acts or omissions which are
found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be not in good faith or involving
intentional misconduct, for knowing violations of law, for actions leading to
improper personal benefit to the director, and for payment of dividends or
approval of stock repurchases or redemptions that are prohibited by DGCL. This
provision also does not affect the directors' responsibilities under any other
laws, such as the Federal securities laws or state or Federal environmental
laws. The Company has obtained liability insurance for its officers and
directors

         Section 145 of the DGCL empowers a corporation to indemnify its
directors and officers and to purchase insurance with respect to liability
arising out of their capacity or status as directors and officers, provided that
this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director: (i) for
any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its
stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) arising under
Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director
derived an improper personal benefit. The DGCL provides further that the
indemnification permitted thereunder shall not be deemed exclusive of any other
rights to which the directors and officers may be entitled under the
corporation's bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or otherwise. The
Certificate eliminates the personal liability of directors to the fullest extent
permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL and provides that the Company shall
fully indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a
party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding
(whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) by reason of the fact
that such person is or was a director or officer of the Company, or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director or officer of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise, against expenses (including attorney's fees), judgments, fines and
amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in
connection with such action, suit or proceeding. At present, there is no pending
litigation or proceeding involving any director, officer, employee or agent as
to which indemnification will be required or permitted under the

                                       2
Certificate. The Company is not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding
that may result in a claim for such indemnification.

         In addition, the Company has insurance policies with Admiral Insurance
Company and Zurich American Insurance Company in the aggregate amount of
$10,000,000 with respect to potential liabilities of its directors and officers.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to the Company's directors, officers and
controlling persons pursuant to the provisions described above, or otherwise,
the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than payment of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered for
resale, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has
been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

        Number           Description of Exhibit
        ------           ----------------------

         *4.1     Company's 2001 Directors' Stock Option Plan, restated to
                  include all amendments thereto

         *5.1     Opinion of Jordan A. Horvath, counsel to the Company

         *23.1    Independent Auditors' Consent

         *23.2    Consent of Jordan A. Horvath (included in exhibit 5.1 hereto)

         *24.1    Power of Attorney (included in signature page)

----------

*Filed herewith

                                       3
Item 9.  Undertakings.

         (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), if in the aggregate, the
changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the
maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration
Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement.

                  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or
any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement
relating to the

                                       4
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6
above, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy
as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a
claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by
the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Exeter, New Hampshire, on the 4th day of March, 2004.

                                            BENTLEY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

                                            By:      /S/ JAMES R. MURPHY
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               James R. Murphy
                                               Chairman, President and Chief
                                               Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints each of James R. Murphy, Michael D. Price
and Jordan A. Horvath and each of them with power of substitution, as his
attorney-in-fact, in all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Registration
Statement (including post-effective amendments) and to file the same, with
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
said attorney-in-facts or their substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 4th day of March, 2004.
Signature                                 Title
              ---------                                 -----
/S/ JAMES R. MURPHY                                Chairman,  President, Chief Executive Officer
--------------------------------------             and Director (principal executive officer)
James R. Murphy

/S/ MICHAEL MCGOVERN                               Vice Chairman and Director
--------------------------------------
Michael McGovern

/S/ ROBERT M. STOTE                                Senior Vice President, Chief Science Officer
--------------------------------------             and Director
Robert M. Stote

/S/ MICHAEL D. PRICE                               Vice President, Chief Financial Officer,
--------------------------------------             Treasurer, Secretary and Director (principal
Michael D. Price                                   financial and accounting officer)

/S/ ROBERT J. GYURIK                               Vice President of Pharmaceutical Development
--------------------------------------             and Director
Robert J. Gyurik
/S/ CHARLES L. BOLLING                            Director
--------------------------------------
 Charles L. Bolling

 /S/ MIGUEL FERNANDEZ                              Director
--------------------------------------
 Miguel Fernandez

 /S/WILLIAM A. PACKER                              Director
--------------------------------------
 William A. Packer

 /S/ JOHN W. SPIEGEL                               Director
--------------------------------------
 John W. Spiegel
EXHIBIT INDEX

        Number               Description of Exhibit
        ------               ----------------------

         *4.1        Company's 2001 Directors' Stock Option Plan, restated to
                     include all amendments thereto.

         *5.1        Opinion of Jordan A. Horvath, counsel to the Company

        *23.1        Independent Auditors' Consent

        *23.2        Consent of Jordan A. Horvath (included in exhibit 5.1
                     hereto)

        *24.1        Power of Attorney (included in signature page)

----------
*Filed herewith