School History

Nursing education started at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1932 with a one-year public health nursing program for graduates of hospital schools of nursing. The program was accredited nationally in 1933. This program continued until 1944, at which time a bachelor of science degree was offered in public health nursing and nursing education. Students were registered nurses who held no degree.

In 1951 the School of Nursing, under the College of Applied Science, was established by the legislature of the Territory of Hawaii, and in 1952 the Hawaii Board of Nursing approved the BS in nursing program for beginning students. The school has had full accreditation by the National League for Nursing since 1956 and became an independent College of Nursing in 1959. In 1965 the associate in science program in nursing and the master of science in nursing were established. In 1966 the College of Nursing became the School of Nursing and joined the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Social Work in the new College of Health Sciences and Social Welfare.

Dental hygiene education in Hawaii began in 1921 as a one-year course at the Honolulu Dental Infirmary and later continued as a two-year program at the Territorial Normal School. Dental hygiene's affiliation with the University of Hawaii at Manoa started in 1931 with a four-five years curricula as part of the Teacher's College. Graduates received both a Bachelor's in Education and a 5th Year Certificate. The dental hygiene program was moved from the College of Education in 1961 to the College of Nursing and offered a Certificate in Dental Hygiene upon completion of the revised two-year curriculum. The Department of Dental Hygiene's attempt to reinstate a baccalaureate education for dental hygienist include the offering of a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies-Dental Hygiene from 1976 through 1983, and a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from 1983 to present.

In 2000, the School of Nursing became the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene. On November 12, 2002, the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene celebrated its 70th Anniversary of providing nursing education programs at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Today, the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene prepares students for careers in nursing and dental hygiene primarily for the state of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin.