In this paper we investigate changes in the interaction between point dipoles embedded in a liquid near a nonmetallic interface when compared to the bulk liquid. The liquid is represented in the continuum approximation, in terms of a nonlocal dielectric function t(k,w), and we analyze the dependence of the dipoledipole interactionon the distance between thedipoles and between thedipoles and the boundary as well as on thedielectric parameters that characterize the interface region. Although the continuum framework does not explicitly include molecular level details, it enables the derivation of closed expressions that relate microscopic quantities to measurable observables such as dielectric functions.9-' * Continuum approximations and their modifications have been shown to be powerful in unraveling leading physical processes in complex systems. The electrostatic interaction energy between two dipoles is given by