Endodontists in Knoxville

June 15, 2026

Knoxville functions as the medical and dental hub for East Tennessee, and that regional role shapes its endodontic landscape. With a 2024 population of about 195,185 (U.S. Census Bureau), the city itself is mid-sized, but it draws patients from a much wider Knox County and Smoky Mountains foothills catchment, which is enough to keep several established specialty offices busy along the West Knoxville corridor. People arrive at those offices for a specific reason: an endodontist treats the inside of the tooth, the soft pulp and the network of root canals that house its nerves and blood supply, rather than the broad slate of cleanings, fillings, and crowns a general dentist covers. The specialty centers on diagnosing tooth pain, performing root canal therapy and retreatment of root canals that did not heal, carrying out apicoectomy and other endodontic surgery, and caring for cracked teeth and traumatic dental injuries.

Whether a given case stays with the family dentist or moves to a specialist usually comes down to complexity. General dentists complete many routine root canals on their own, but they tend to refer molars with intricate canal anatomy, retreatment situations, and anything surgical. The reason an endodontist takes those cases is the additional preparation behind the title. A specialist first earns a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), then completes at least two more years of residency in an accredited endodontic program. The American Dental Association recognizes endodontics as a formal specialty, and a practitioner who meets the requirements of the American Board of Endodontics may be named a Diplomate, the credential widely referred to as board certification.

Inside a Knoxville endodontic office, technology is built around working precisely in a confined space. Surgical operating microscopes magnify the treatment field, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) produces three-dimensional images of root and canal anatomy that conventional X-rays cannot reveal, and digital radiography trims radiation exposure. A number of practices also rely on ultrasonic instruments and provide comfort or sedation options for anxious patients. The shared aim is conservation, since saving a natural tooth through root canal therapy is often gentler than extracting it and replacing it with an implant or bridge.

Patients can check any provider before booking. In Tennessee, dentists and dental specialists are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Dentistry under the Tennessee Department of Health, which licenses and regulates dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants and investigates complaints to protect public safety. There is no separate endodontics license; the specialist holds a Tennessee dental license within the recognized specialty. To confirm active licensure and look for any disciplinary history, use the Department of Health verification system at apps.health.tn.gov/Licensure and search by name, city, or practice. Complaints about a licensed dentist may be filed with the Board of Dentistry, while general consumer protection concerns fall under the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs and the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). This page is a general overview for Knoxville consumers and is not dental or medical advice; treatment decisions belong with a licensed dentist or endodontist who has examined the patient.

Top Endodontists Providers in Knoxville

1. Knoxville Endodontics

Address: 8029 Ray Mears Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: (865) 560-1996
Website: https://www.knoxendo.com
Services: root canal therapy, root canal retreatment, apicoectomy and microsurgery, cracked tooth treatment, traumatic injury care, internal bleaching, post and core, pulp regeneration, root resorption treatment, vital pulp therapy and partial pulpotomy
Description: Knoxville Endodontics is a long-established West Knoxville specialty practice on Ray Mears Boulevard, with a website noting more than 50 years of service in Tennessee. The practice is staffed by three endodontists, Dr. Wallin H. Myers, DDS, Dr. Benjamin D. Scott, DDS, and Dr. Stanford C. Ballard, DMD. Its services span root canal therapy and retreatment, apicoectomy and microsurgery, treatment of cracked teeth and traumatic injuries, internal bleaching, post and core, pulp regeneration, root resorption treatment, and vital pulp therapy. The office uses cone beam 3D imaging (CBCT), digital X-rays, and ultrasonic instrumentation, and it lists Maryville among the surrounding areas it serves.

2. West Valley Endodontics

Address: 109 Fox Road, Knoxville, TN 37922
Phone: (865) 692-2380
Website: https://www.westvalleyendodontics.com
Services: root canal therapy, endodontic retreatment, emergency care, pain and anxiety management
Description: West Valley Endodontics is a Knoxville specialty practice on Fox Road led by Dr. D. Wayne Hughart, with the practice website describing more than 20 years in practice. The office concentrates on root canal therapy, endodontic retreatment, and emergency care, and it emphasizes pain and anxiety management with multiple comfort options for patients. Operating from a single West Knoxville location, the practice accepts most major insurance plans and focuses on preserving natural teeth through specialist endodontic treatment.

3. Tennessee Valley Endodontics

Address: 11217 West Point Drive, Knoxville, TN 37934
Phone: (865) 675-8877
Website: https://www.root-canal.net
Services: root canal therapy, endodontic retreatment, endodontic surgery, treatment of tooth pain and infection
Description: Tennessee Valley Endodontics is a Farragut-area specialty practice on West Point Drive in West Knoxville, led by Dr. Richard E. Moore, a specialist member of the American Association of Endodontists. The practice notes that Dr. Moore was the first endodontist in Knoxville to use a surgical microscope, among the first to adopt digital X-rays, and the first endodontist in Tennessee to incorporate three-dimensional cone beam CT imaging into his practice. The office provides root canal therapy, retreatment, and endodontic surgery, drawing on this established technology base to diagnose and treat complex cases.

Frequently Asked Questions About Endodontists in Knoxville

Q: What is the difference between an endodontist and a general dentist in Knoxville?

Both are licensed dentists, but an endodontist has completed two or more additional years of accredited residency training focused on the dental pulp and root canal system. General dentists perform many routine root canals, while endodontists concentrate on root canal therapy, retreatment, endodontic surgery such as apicoectomy, and complex cases involving difficult canal anatomy, cracked teeth, or dental trauma. A Knoxville family dentist will often refer more complicated cases to an endodontist.

Q: How do I verify that a Knoxville endodontist is licensed?

Dentists and dental specialists in Tennessee are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Dentistry under the Tennessee Department of Health. You can confirm that a provider holds an active license, and review any disciplinary history, through the Department of Health license verification system at apps.health.tn.gov/Licensure by searching the dentist’s name, city, or practice name.

Q: Is endodontics a recognized dental specialty?

Yes. Endodontics is one of the dental specialties formally recognized by the American Dental Association. An endodontist holds a DDS or DMD degree plus advanced residency training, and a specialist who meets the requirements of the American Board of Endodontics may carry the title of Diplomate, commonly described as board certified.

Q: What technology do Knoxville endodontists commonly use?

Many Knoxville endodontic practices use surgical operating microscopes for magnification, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for three-dimensional imaging of root and canal anatomy, and digital radiography to reduce radiation exposure. Some offices also use ultrasonic instruments and offer comfort or sedation options. Patients can ask a specific practice which technologies it uses during a consultation.

Q: Will I need to see an endodontist for a root canal, or can my dentist do it?

It depends on the tooth and the case. Many general dentists perform straightforward root canals, particularly on front teeth with simpler anatomy. They often refer molars, retreatment of failed root canals, surgical cases, and teeth with complex or curved canals to an endodontist who performs these procedures regularly. The referring dentist usually places the final crown or restoration after the endodontic treatment is complete.

Q: Where can I file a complaint about a dental provider in Knoxville?

Complaints about a licensed dentist or endodontist can be submitted to the Tennessee Board of Dentistry through the Tennessee Department of Health. Broader consumer protection concerns, such as deceptive business practices, can be directed to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping records of treatment, communications, and payments helps support any complaint.