PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 375; Flight Crew Type 100
Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Environment - Non Weather Related
While conducting a VFR local cross country practice flight as acting flight instructor with my client/student; I believe our PA-28-181 experienced wake turbulence from a departing C172. [We were] closed traffic 36 Ocala.  Upon our second touch-and-go we were in the upwind at 400 ft AGL; following a C172 that had departed prior and was 600 ft AGL feet turning right on a southeast departure. At this time the wake turbulence was experienced. My student was passing through 400 ft prior to our left crosswind turn; the aircraft banked 30-40 very quickly to the right then rolled left uncontrolled again; this time 20-30 degrees with a raising pitch attitude (not sure actual pitch degree). My student panicked on the first uncontrolled roll; let go of controls; and I took [over] as the aircraft rolled left. He claims he did nothing to controls and as I viewed the first roll it seemed he was not banking at all. I believe wake turbulence was the cause and due to the calm winds it perhaps lingered in the upwind; as we were following 30-40 seconds behind him. I feel silly as I never thought a 172 could affect our flight control authority. Operating out of ZZZ I deal with a large amount of wake turbulence awareness with the high density of turbojet traffic in and out of ZZZ; but never suspected a light single could do this.
PA-28 Instructor Pilot reported encountering wake turbulence from the preceding C172 in the pattern at OCF.