Exact numerical solutions for the LP(01) propagating mode of the scalar wave equation are used to calculate propagation constants in single-mode fibers with arbitrary refractive-index profiles. The procedure is used to correlate predicted chromatic dispersion properties of single-mode fibers based on interferometrically measured profiles with direct transmission measurements vs wavelength. Resulting waveguide dispersion effects are used to design single-mode fibers that have minimum chromatic dispersion at desired wavelengths within the 1.3-1.6-microm region.