Dr. Kristin Knierim

Dr. Kristin Knierim was raised in Knoxville and is excited to be treating her hometown family and friends. Her late father, Dr. Rupert Knierim, was also an orthodontist and practiced in Fountain City for over 30 years. She graduated in 1990 from Knoxville Catholic High School. After graduation, she attended Emory University where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in biology and then continued on to attend the University of Tennessee and received her Doctor of Dental Science degree.

After working as a general dentist for two years, Dr. Knierim attended a residency program at Indiana University. In 2005, she earned her master’s degree in orthodontics from Indiana University.

She maintains active memberships with the Second District Society, the Tennessee Dental Association, the American Dental Association®, the Southern Association of Orthodontics, and the American Association of Orthodontists. Dr. Knierim has been published in the American Journal of Orthodontics for her research, evaluating over 450 finished orthodontic cases. To keep up with the latest technology, Dr. Knierim attends continuing education courses throughout the year.

Dr. Knierim married her husband, Scott, in May 2008. They live in Knoxville and have three children, two dogs, and three horses. When she is not in her office creating beautiful smiles, she can be found outdoors, enjoying horseback riding, hiking, skiing, or biking.

Dr. Eric Hatten

Dr. Eric Hatten attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Biological Sciences and Chemistry. He then obtained his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from West Virginia University. For his orthodontic specialty education, he decided to travel to Georgia where he married his wife Kaitlin, who is a registered nurse. Together, they moved to Tennessee to get back to the mountains and rivers they grew up loving.

Amanda - Orthodontic Assistant

Amanda has 25 years of experience in pediatric dentistry and seven in orthodontics. She finds it rewarding to help boost patients’ self-confidence. Amanda is a baseball fan, especially of the Tennessee Volunteers. Her daughter competes in clogging and pageants with the Miss America Organization, while her son plays baseball with his travel team and will be playing for his middle school as well.

Andrea – Orthodontic Assistant

Andrea brings nine years of dental experience, with eight spent at Knoxville Orthodontics. She loves helping treat the patients at our office as she has learned that no two journeys are exactly the same. Andrea enjoys antiquing, lake days with family, and adventuring with her son, Caden. She also cheers on her husband, who is a NASCAR driver.

Autumn – Treatment Coordinator & Lab Technician

Autumn has been an RDA for four years and joined Knoxville Orthodontics in 2022. She splits her time between coordinating treatments and creating retainers and appliances in the lab. Autumn enjoys cheering patients on throughout their smile journey from their first appointment until their retainer delivery. She’s engaged to her high school sweetheart, Quentin, and loves football, baseball, and lake days with her dog, Tide named after the Crimson Tide.

Sandy – Scheduling Coordinator

Sandy started working in orthodontics in 1981 and returned to the field after a 20-year break. She enjoys connecting with patients and families. Sandy is a proud mother of two, grandmother of three, and dog mom to Buster and Lucy. She has worked alongside Dr. Knierim and her father as well. She also loves traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Bryan Candelaria – Assistant Manager - Spanish Translator

Bryan has been in orthodontics for over two years and serves as our Spanish translator. He focuses on making every patient feel comfortable and welcome. A couple of fun facts about Bryan is that he has completed a Spartan Race in Bogotá, Colombia and attended the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted in Brazil. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, spending time with his wife, and hanging out with their dogs, Goat and Peanut.

Courtney Bounds – Lead Orthodontic Assistant

Courtney has been part of Knoxville Orthodontics since 2017 and is our lead assistant. She finds fulfillment in helping patients achieve healthy, confident smiles. Outside the office, she loves spending time with her family and especially her son, Walker, and enjoys cooking and the outdoors.

Michelle – Scheduling Coordinator

Michelle has worked in orthodontics for nearly two years and appreciates her supportive team. She’s a proud mom of four children—each with names starting with the letter Z! Outside of work, she enjoys the outdoors and taking walks by the lake with her French Bulldog, Winston.

Rachel – Orthodontic Assistant

Rachel is passionate about orthodontics and helping patients achieve beautiful, confident smiles. As a former model and actress, she appeared in the film Butter with Jennifer Garner and Hugh Jackman. She is also a devoted mom to her six-year-old daughter and enjoys working out, traveling, and leading her neighborhood gardening association.

Stephanie – Practice Manager

With six years of experience in dentistry, Stephanie first found her passion while helping in Dr. Knierim’s office as a child. She finds joy in witnessing patients’ smiles transform and being able to help shape a patient's lifelong smile journey. A dedicated birder, Stephanie travels to spot rare birds and encourages patients to share photos of birds they see!

Adriana Almanza – Orthodontic Assistant

Adriana graduated from Dental Staff School of Knoxville in 2021 and has nearly four years of hands-on orthodontic experience. She enjoys building personal connections with patients and being part of their smile journey. When not at work, she stays active by playing soccer, working out, and spending time with her children.

Abby Hayes – Insurance Coordinator

Abby joined the orthodontic field in January 2025 and quickly developed a love for working with patients and their families. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to true crime podcasts, and spending time with her husband, Michah, and their dog, Milo.

Emily Saporito – Treatment Coordinator

Emily attended Tennessee College of Applied Sciences for Dental Assisting and has worked in orthodontics for over six years. She loves seeing patients' confidence grow throughout treatment. Emily is an avid explorer of the Mountain West region and enjoys hiking with her two daughters, especially around waterfalls and mountains.