How Long Does It Take to Become a Dental Assistant in Florida?
Short answer: 13 weeks at Peak. Long answer depends on the path you pick — here's the breakdown.
The fastest legal path: 13 weeks
Florida does not require dental assistants to graduate from a 2-year college program. A Florida Board-approved training program — like Peak's 13-week evening course — is enough to start working chairside, take radiographs, and earn your Expanded Functions (EFDA) credential.
The slow path: 1–2 year college program
Community colleges offer 1- and 2-year dental assisting degrees. They cost 3–8x more, and Florida employers don't pay graduates more for the longer program. The credential you carry into a job interview is the same.
On-the-job "training": don't
Some offices will hire untrained help and "train you up." In Florida that path can't legally take radiographs or perform expanded functions until you're certified — which caps your hours, your pay, and how useful you are to the practice.
Realistic timeline at Peak
- Week 0: Enroll, set up payment plan, pick up scrubs.
- Weeks 1–13: Evening classes 2 nights/week — keep your day job.
- Week 13: Sit for Florida Board EFDA + Radiology certifications.
- Weeks 13–16: Most graduates are interviewing or already hired.
Bottom line: if you start the next class, you can be a credentialed, working dental assistant in Florida before the season changes.
Ready to start?
Peak's next 13-week class fills fast. Reserve your seat or talk to admissions.