At Academy for Dental Assistants, we offer a variety of hands-on, Florida Board of Dentistry–approved courses designed to help students enter the dental field with confidence or advance their existing skills. Our flagship 12-Week Entry-Level Dental Assistant Program provides comprehensive training to earn both Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) and Dental Radiology certifications, along with real-world experience through an externship. For those needing certifications quickly, our 1-Day EFDA and Dental Radiology Certification Courses offer a fast-track option to become certified in a single day for experienced assistants who were trained on the job or moving to Florida from another state and in need of their Certifications. We also provide specialized training through our 6-Week Orthodontic Assistant Training Course, perfect for experienced dental assistants looking to expand their career into orthodontics. In addition, our Refresher Courses and Continuing Education Classes — including digital X-ray, provisional crowns and bridges, and PFM restoration techniques — help practicing professionals sharpen their skills and stay current with industry standards.
Step 1: Complete our 12-Week Entry-Level Dental Assistant Training Program & attend class one day per week for 12 weeks at our facility.
Step 2: Gain real-world experience through a 200-hour Dental Assisting Externship at a general dental office of your choice.
Step 3: Upon successful completion, students are awarded their Florida Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) Certification and Dental Radiology Certification.
Your State Board Exams and Florida Board of Dentistry Certifications are included in the 12-Week Program — no additional fees required.
This is a hybrid certification course. The informational modules and State Board Exam(s) for the Certification(s) must be completed online (Part 1) before attending the in-person clinical hands-on lab portion (Part 2) at our facility on the date you select at registration.
Upon demonstrating competency in the clinical hands-on lab and achieving a score of 75% or higher on both online exams, you will be awarded a Florida Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) Certification and/or a Dental Radiology Certification.
Eligibility Requirements:
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A minimum of 3 months of on-the-job training in a dental office is required before attending this course.
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You must be able to perform EFDA and/or Dental Radiology procedures independently in Part 2.
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This is a Certification Course, not a training course. You will be performing EFDA and/or Dental Radiology procedures for evaluation, and we are certifying your competency. You may perform the procedures as you were originally taught.
EFDA/Dental Assistant Refresher Course – This 4-hour, hands-on EFDA/Dental Assistant Refresher Course is specifically designed for experienced dental assistants seeking to refresh and enhance their skills in Expanded Functions Dental Assisting (EFDA) procedures, or anyone preparing for the Certification Course who wants to strengthen their clinical skills. The course offers an opportunity for hands-on practice in a supervised setting, allowing participants to refine their techniques, increase their confidence, and improve proficiency in essential EFDA tasks.
Dental Radiology Refresher Course – This 4-hour hands-on training is designed for experienced dental assistants who want to refresh or strengthen their digital X-ray skills. This course is ideal for those who have been out of the dental field for a while and wish to regain confidence, individuals seeking extra practice in digital X-ray techniques, or assistants working in specialty offices such as oral surgery or orthodontics who may have had limited experience taking individual periapical radiographs (PAs).
With individualized instruction, each student will receive guidance tailored to the areas they want to improve. The course emphasizes proper techniques for capturing periapical x-rays, bitewings (BWX), full mouth series (FMX), and individual periapicals (PAs) using a digital sensor. This refresher course is an excellent way to sharpen your skills and build confidence before or after completing the Dental Radiology Certification Course.
Provisional Crowns and Bridges (PFM) Refresher Course – This is a 4-hour course focused on the practical fabrication of provisional crowns and bridges. This course is ideal for dental assistants seeking to refresh and improve their skills in the creation of temporary restorations. It is particularly beneficial for those who have been out of the field for some time or need additional practice to gain confidence in provisional restoration procedures.
Our 6-Week Orthodontic Dental Assistant Training Course is a hands-on course designed for experienced dental assistants looking to grow their dental field knowledge with a focus on orthodontics. This course does not include tests or textbooks; however, students are required to print handouts and complete weekly homework assignments. This course is ideal for those who already have experience in the dental field and wish to enhance their skills and career opportunities within orthodontic practices.
This program follows a hands-on training approach, allowing students to gain practical experience in orthodontic procedures. Unlike traditional lecture-based programs, this course is structured to immerse students in real-world orthodontic assisting techniques through direct, supervised practice in a clinical setting.