Dental Hygiene Programs in Hawaii
Hawaii has 2 CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu and the University of Hawaii Maui College in Kahului.
Each program is listed below with its city, address, website, and current accreditation status, pulled directly from the Commission on Dental Accreditation's own program directory.
Graduating from a CODA-accredited program satisfies the education requirement for licensure in every U.S. jurisdiction, though how a program prepares you for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and Hawaii's own licensing process is worth understanding before you apply.
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At a glance
In Hawaii
Programs
2
With a program
Cities
2
Approval without Reporting Requirements
Fully approved
2 of 2
Every CODA-Accredited Program in Hawaii
Source: CODA program directory, index dated 2026-09-09. Status terms (“Approval without Reporting Requirements,” “Approval with Reporting Requirements,” “Initial Accreditation,” “Discontinued,” etc.) are CODA’s own.
What CODA Accreditation Means for Your License
CODA accreditation is the credential jurisdictions look for when they evaluate a hygiene applicant's education.
Graduating from a CODA-accredited program satisfies the education requirement for licensure in every U.S. jurisdiction.
The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) fulfills or partially fulfills the written-exam requirement most jurisdictions set, though acceptance of it — like every licensing requirement — is at that jurisdiction's own discretion, including Hawaii's.
For the full path from enrollment to license, see our step-by-step guide to becoming a dental hygienist.
Choosing Between Hawaii's Two Programs
Hawaii's two programs sit at University of Hawaii campuses on different islands — Manoa on Oahu and Maui College on Maui — and each sets its own admission requirements, prerequisite coursework, and application cycle.
Contact a program directly for its current curriculum, application deadlines, and clinical-site details — the CODA accreditation status shown for each program above reflects the program's last accreditation visit, not its admissions process.
If you're also weighing degree level or how long a program takes, see associate vs. bachelor's in dental hygiene and how long dental hygiene school takes.
After You Graduate: Licensure and Work in Hawaii
A CODA-accredited program is the first step, not the last.
Hawaii's own board sets the exam, application and continuing-education requirements a graduate must meet to hold an active license, and those requirements can change.
See our Hawaii dental hygienist requirements and scope of practice page for what the state itself requires, confirm anything you intend to rely on with the Hawaii Board of Dental Examiners before enrolling or applying, and see our Hawaii dental hygienist salary guide and open dental hygienist jobs once you're licensed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs are in Hawaii?
Hawaii has 2 CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu and the University of Hawaii Maui College in Kahului.
Both are listed above with their current CODA accreditation status, address and website.
CODA's own directory is the definitive, up-to-date list — confirm a program's status directly with CODA before applying.
Does it matter which Hawaii program I attend?
Not for licensure eligibility — both programs listed above hold CODA accreditation, and CODA accreditation is what jurisdictions require for the education portion of licensure nationwide, including Hawaii.
Beyond that baseline, the two campuses differ in location and admission requirements, so contact each one directly to compare them.
See associate vs. bachelor's in dental hygiene if you're also weighing degree level.
Do I have to attend a Hawaii program to work as a hygienist in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii licenses hygienists who graduated from any CODA-accredited program, not only one located in Hawaii.
What matters for licensure eligibility is the program's CODA accreditation and passing the required exams — see our Hawaii requirements page for the state's own licensing rules.
What comes after I finish a CODA-accredited hygiene program?
Graduates typically sit for the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a regional or state clinical exam, then apply for licensure with the Hawaii Board of Dental Examiners.
Our step-by-step guide to becoming a dental hygienist walks through that full sequence.
Is every program on this list accredited?
Every program above is shown with the CODA accreditation status CODA had published for it as of 2026-09-09, the date this directory was last pulled from CODA's own program search. "Approval without Reporting Requirements" is CODA's standard fully-accredited standing; other status terms on this page — such as "Approval with Reporting Requirements," "Initial Accreditation," or "Discontinued" — mean something different, and a status can change after that date.
Confirm a program's current status directly with CODA before applying.
More Hawaii & Dental Hygienist Resources
Sourced from the CODA program directory (index dated 2026-09-09). Verified September 2026. Program details change. Confirm accreditation status, admission requirements and costs with the program and with CODA before applying.