Diploma program & CE courses

Florida-credentialed dental training, done right.

Two professional development courses approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry — for working dental assistants advancing their credentials in Florida.

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FIDA instructor working chairside while dental assisting students observe during hands-on training in Jacksonville

Diploma Program

Entry Level Dental Assisting

6 months · In person · Jacksonville, FL

FIDA's six-month Entry Level Dental Assisting diploma program takes you from no dental experience to clinic-ready: 142 hours of theory, 76 hands-on lab hours, and a 160-hour externship in a real dental office under a licensed dentist. Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education (institution #6501) and taught in person in Jacksonville by instructors with 30+ years in dentistry.

$9,850

$9,700 tuition + $150 registration fee

Upcoming classes

September 15, 2026 · Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:00 AM–1:30 PM
November 9, 2026 · Mondays & Wednesdays, 5:00–9:30 PM
January 22, 2027 · Fridays, 9:00 AM–4:30 PM

Apply now Full program details

At a glance

Length: 6 months · 378 clock hours (142 theory + 76 lab + 160 externship)
Format: In person in Jacksonville, FL — plus an externship in a working dental office
Credential: Diploma — Entry Level Dental Assisting, with Expanded Functions Dental Assistant and Dental Radiographer certifications
Tuition: $9,850 total — $9,700 tuition + $150 registration. $750 seat deposit (registration counts toward it); interest-free 6- or 8-month plans
Approval: Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education (#6501)
Upcoming classes: September 15, 2026 — Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:00 AM–1:30 PM November 9, 2026 — Mondays & Wednesdays, 5:00–9:30 PM January 22, 2027 — Fridays, 9:00 AM–4:30 PM

Continuing Education

Professional development courses

For working dental assistants advancing their credentials. Both courses are open enrollment — start anytime.

Course

Length

Credential

Tuition

Radiography for Dental Personnel

6 weeks · 14 clock hours (8 theory + 6 lab)

Professional Development Certificate · Florida Dental Radiography (FAC 64B5-9.011)

$499.00

Expanded Functions for the Dental Assistant

5 weeks · 20 clock hours (13 theory + 7 in-office hours)

Professional Development Certificate · Expanded Functions Dental Assistant

$1,049.00

The Radiography and EFDA courses shown above are approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry.

Course 01

Radiography for Dental Personnel

Florida-mandated dental radiography certification, delivered online.

Length: 6 weeks · 14 clock hours (8 theory + 6 lab)
Format: Online — self-paced via FIDA Moodle
Credential: Professional Development Certificate · Florida Dental Radiography (FAC 64B5-9.011)
Tuition: $499.00
Textbook: Modern Dental Assisting, 14th Ed. — Robinson, Elsevier, 2024 (ISBN 978-0-323-82440-8)

Enroll · PayPal · Study

Create an Account first, then pay · secure PayPal checkout

Easy as 1-2-3

1. Enroll — create your free FIDA Moodle account
2. PayPal — pay for this course
3. Study — start immediately

Already have an account? Pay & start

Full requirements & cost

A focused review course for dental personnel covering radiation health & safety, intra-oral and extra-oral imaging techniques, and quality control — the criteria currently required by Florida law to operate dental X-ray equipment. Includes self-study readings and a clinical competency assessment submitted via the LMS.

Before you enroll

!Be at least 18 years of age.
!A minimum of 3 months of continuous on-the-job training in the positioning and exposing of dental radiographs under a Florida-licensed dentist, in any dental office — general practice or specialty. Volunteer or shadowing does NOT count.
!Signed acknowledgement from your supervising dentist (general or specialty practice) confirming the three months of training.
!Working competency in English — verified through completion of FIDA's online Continuing Education Assessment course alongside an in-office capstone performed under your supervising dentist.
!Complete the online coursework with capstone project.

Course breakdown

Course #	Title	Hours
RHS101	Foundations of Radiography, Radiographic Equipment, and Radiation Safety	2
RHS102	Dental Imaging, Dental Film, and Processing Radiographs	3
RHS103	Legal Issues, Quality Assurance, and Infection Prevention	3
RHS104	Intraoral Imaging	4
RHS105	Extraoral Imaging	2
Total		14

Course 02

Expanded Functions for the Dental Assistant

Earn the EFDA certificate Florida requires for expanded clinical procedures.

Length: 5 weeks · 20 clock hours (13 theory + 7 in-office hours)
Format: Hybrid — online theory + in office clinical lab
Credential: Professional Development Certificate · Expanded Functions Dental Assistant
Tuition: $1,049.00
Textbook: Modern Dental Assisting, 14th Ed. — Robinson, Elsevier, 2024 (ISBN 978-0-323-82440-8)

Enroll · PayPal · Study

Create an Account first, then pay · secure PayPal checkout

Easy as 1-2-3

1. Enroll — create your free FIDA Moodle account
2. PayPal — pay for this course
3. Study — start immediately

Already have an account? Pay & start

Full requirements & cost

Theory and hands-on training in expanded-function procedures performed by dental assistants in a Florida dental practice. Built around the current Dental Assisting National Board curriculum so graduates can perform expanded clinical functions under dentist supervision, in compliance with the Florida Board of Dentistry.

Before you enroll

!Be at least 18 years of age.
!A minimum of 3 months of continuous on-the-job chairside training under a Florida-licensed dentist, in any dental office — general practice or specialty. Volunteer or shadowing does NOT count.
!Signed acknowledgement from your supervising dentist (general or specialty practice) confirming the three months of training.
!Working competency in English — verified through completion of FIDA's online Continuing Education Assessment course alongside an in-office capstone performed under your supervising dentist.
!Complete the online coursework with capstone project.

Course breakdown

Course #	Title	Hours
EFDA101	Dental Sealants	1.5
EFDA102	Fluoride Placement	1.5
EFDA103	Polishing Clinical Crowns	1.5
EFDA104	Liners, Bases, and Bonding Systems	1.5
EFDA105	Temporary Restorations	1.5
EFDA106	Matrices	1.5
EFDA107	Alginate Impressions and Study Models	1.5
EFDA108	Fabricating Temporary Crowns	1.5
EFDA109	Placing Retraction Cord	1.5
EFDA110	Place / Remove Periodontal Dressing	1.5
EFDA111	Place / Remove Dental Dam	1.5
EFDA112	Suture Removal	1.5
EFDA113	Infection Control	2
Total		20

Continuing Education

Professional development for working dental teams.

Short, focused CE courses for licensed dental assistants and hygienists — designed around Florida licensure requirements and the day-to-day skills working teams ask us for most.

Infection Control & OSHA

Annual refresh on current CDC and OSHA bloodborne-pathogen standards for dental settings.

Radiation Health & Safety

Short refreshers for radiography-certified personnel between renewals.

HIPAA for Dental Teams

Practical patient-privacy compliance — what changed, what didn't, what auditors check for.

Medical Emergencies in the Office

Recognize and respond — syncope, anaphylaxis, cardiac events, airway compromise.

Sterilization & Instrument Processing

Hands-on review of CDC-aligned reprocessing workflows and biological monitoring.

Custom team training

Group sessions tailored to your practice — onboarding new assistants, refreshing veterans, prepping for state inspections.

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