The disclosure provides a new photopolymerizable resin system for dental restorative materials. The resin system utilizes a thiol-ene component as the reactive diluent in dimethacrylate systems. The ternary resin system comprises a thiol monomer, an ene monomer and a dimethacrylate monomer. Use of an off-stoichiometric ratio of thiol:ene functional groups in favor of excess thiols results in enhanced overall functional group conversion, improved polymer mechanical properties, and reduced shrinkage stress of the ternary system when compared to either traditional dimethacrylate or thiol-ene resin systems.