Meet Our Physicians

Orthopedic Surgeons Knoxville & Athens, TN

David Hovis, MD

Dr. David Hovis of ORTHOKnox in Knoxville and Athens, Tennessee, is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with a subspecialty certification in sports medicine. He has practiced Orthopaedic Surgery for over 20 years, and has a special ability to connect with patients, diagnose their problems, and return them to an active lifestyle.

Dr. Hovis specializes in shoulders and knees. He performs a high volume of shoulder and knee surgeries every year.  As an expert in arthroscopic, minimally-invasive surgery, his clinical focus is on rotator cuff repairs, shoulder instabilities and labral tears, ACL reconstructions, and cartilage restoration procedures.

Dr. Hovis performs MAKOplasty® robotic partial and total knee replacements and has completed the highest volume of MAKO partial knee replacements of any doctor in the region.

After graduating Cum Laude from Duke University with a bachelor of science degree, Dr. Hovis earned his medical degree with honors from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He then went to Dallas, where he completed a general surgery internship at Parkland Memorial Hospital and an orthopedic residency with honors at the University of Texas-Southwestern.

Dr. Hovis continued his professional training with a sports medicine fellowship at the prestigious Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. While there, he served as an assistant team physician for the Denver Broncos football team.

He went on to complete a traveling fellowship in shoulder surgery at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, where he performed reverse total shoulder replacements years before they were available in the United States.

Adam Epps, DO

Dr. Adam Epps of OrthoKnox in Knoxville and Athens, Tennessee, is a physiatrist board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Epps takes a personalized approach to patient care, ensuring he utilizes the most cutting-edge techniques to treat patients as a “whole person,” rather than just their symptoms. His ultimate goal is to relieve pain and maximize function to help patients return to a fully functional life.

Dr. Epps graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a bachelor of science in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology. He then went on to complete his pre-professional studies at Walters State Community College before earning his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) in Harrograte, Tennessee. After earning this prestigious title, he completed his residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He then went on to complete his fellowship training in Interventional Spine and Musculoskeletal Medicine at Barrow Brain and Spine in Phoenix, AZ.

Dr. Epps has won several prestigious awards throughout his academic career, including recognition for his various lectures and professional presentations. He is proud to be a member of several professional organizations including the Tennessee Osteopathic Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and the American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Lindsay, and son, Ace. He also likes to travel, lift weights, play pickleball, and spend time outdoors.