Deborah Mattheus is an Associate Professor and Endowed Professor in School Health at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Dr. Mattheus is also the Senior Practice Director and Dental Sealant Program Director for the state’s school-based health program. In this role she oversees 300 multi-disciplinary staff who serve over 180,000 students in 256 public schools. Additionally, her ongoing program of research has transformed school-based health services. She has disseminated best practices nationally and across the pan-pacific via webinars/presentations and publications and her work has reshaped state educational and public health policies.

Dr. Mattheus obtained federal and state funds to develop a public health dentistry and dental hygiene training program and a dental assessment/sealant program within school-based health centers. Her work expanded access to pediatric dental care across the state; specifically, an increase in care facilities from 3 to 80. For these efforts, she was recognized as Hawaii’s Oral Health Champion by Harvard’s Center for Integration of Primary Care and Oral Health. Additionally, she has also received funding to address health disparities via developing/testing novel school-health programs including a telehealth program, an adolescent vaccination program, and a technology-driven intervention to improve screening for/access to mental health services.

Dr. Mattheus received her PhD from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a MSN from Simmons College, and a BSN from the American International College.