<PAGE>   1


                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                  FORM 10-K/A-1

(Mark One)
/X/     ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
        ACT OF 1934
                   For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997

/ /     TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES
        EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                For the transition period from                 to

                         Commission File Number: 1-13094

                               DIME BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


                Delaware                                11-3197414
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
     Incorporation or Organization)

  589 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York                     10017
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                 (Zip Code)

                                 (212) 326-6170
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

          Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


     Title of each class            Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par value                New York Stock Exchange
    Stock Purchase Rights                    New York Stock Exchange

        Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes /X/ No / /

         Indicate by check mark if delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best
of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. / /

         The aggregate market value of the shares of registrant's common stock
held by non-affiliates (assuming, solely for purposes of this Form, that all
directors are affiliates) was $3,383,886,475 as of March 6, 1998 (based on the
closing New York Stock Exchange price on such date).

         The number of shares of common stock of the registrant outstanding as
of March 6, 1998 was 114,136,996 shares.

                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE


         The information required by Part III of Form 10-K is incorporated by
reference to the registrant's Definitive Proxy Statement relating to its 1998
Annual Meeting of Stockholders.


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         The Annual Report on Form 10-K of the registrant for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997 is hereby amended to submit a Restated Financial Data
Schedule for the fiscal year 1996 as a result of the Company's adoption of
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, No. 128, "Earnings Per Share." The
filing of the Restated Financial Data Schedule is being made in accordance with
Article 601(c)(2)(iii) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the federal
securities laws. The information set forth in the Restated Financial Data
Schedule has no impact on the disclosure provided in the original Form 10-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 1998.




<PAGE>   3



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this amendment to the
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                           DIME BANCORP, INC.


                           By: /s/ Lawrence J. Toal
                               ---------------------------------------------
                                  Lawrence J. Toal
                                 Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer,
                                 President and Chief Operating Officer


                                  May 12, 1998
                               ---------------------------------------------
                                     Date

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
this amendment to the report has been signed below on May 12, 1998 by the
following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        Signature                                                 Capacity
        ---------                                                 --------
<S>                                          <C>
    /s/ Lawrence J. Toal                     Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer,
  -----------------------------------        President and Chief Operating Officer (Principal
    Lawrence J. Toal                         Executive Officer)
                                                               
 
              *                              Director
  -----------------------------------
   James M. Large, Jr.

              *                              Director
  -----------------------------------
    Derrick D. Cephas

              *                              Director
  -----------------------------------
    Frederick C. Chen

              *                              Director
  -----------------------------------
  J. Barclay Collins II

              *                              Director
  -----------------------------------
  Richard W. Dalrymple

              *                              Director
  -----------------------------------
     James F. Fulton

              *                              Director
  -----------------------------------
    Virginia M. Kopp
</TABLE>


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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                      Signature                                         Capacity
                      ---------                                         --------
<S>                                               <C>
                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
                    John Morning

                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
               Margaret Osmer-McQuade

                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
               Sally Hernandez-Pinero

                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
                 Dr. Paul A. Qualben

                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
                Eugene G. Schulz, Jr.

                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
                    Howard Smith

                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
                 Dr. Norman R. Smith

                         *                        Director
       -----------------------------------
                    Ira T. Wender

               /s/ Anthony R. Burriesci           Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
       -----------------------------------
                Anthony R. Burriesci

                 /s/ Harold E. Reynolds           Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
       -----------------------------------
                 Harold E. Reynolds
</TABLE>


*    By:      /s/ Lawrence J. Toal
             -----------------------------------
             Lawrence J. Toal
             Attorney-in-Fact



<PAGE>   5


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number           Identification of Exhibit
--------------           -------------------------
<S>                      <C>
27.1                     Restated Financial Data Schedule (filed electronically
                         only)
</TABLE>