General Info

Dr. Knight has been practicing general dentistry since 1988 when she graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry ranking sixth in a class of ninety-nine. She worked part-time and paid her way through professional school. After graduation she entered the U.S. Air Force Dental Corps as a Captain and served three years of active duty during Desert Storm and three more years as a reservist. While serving the first year at Bolling AFB in Washington, D.C. she successfully completed a General Practice Residency, a competitive post-graduate program. She also completed tours of duty at Osan AB-Republic of Korea, Bergstrom AFB-Austin, Tindle AFB-Florida, and Howard AFB-Panama. In 1992, Dr. Knight started her private dental practice in Austin, which has been growing ever since. She is committed to lifelong learning through continuing education and has completed over 600 hours of post-graduate coursework and lectures. Her professional memberships include the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Knight is a native Texan born in Houston, 1955. She graduated from high school as salutatorian in Euless, Texas, 1973, and then attended college at Trinity University, San Antonio, and Texas A&M University, Galveston. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology and graduated magna cum laude from TAMU. Following graduation she worked for Shell Development Company in Houston for seven years in spectroscopy and liquid chromatography labs before entering dental college. Dr. Karen A Knight is married to her wonderful husband, Gerald Clay, who she first met as her dental patient when he had a toothache! After a root canal treatment and crown they found true love. (We know this is a weird way to meet but it worked for her.) She has traveled extensively and enjoys gardening, music, theater, pets, and other hobbies. Her local church, St. John’s United Methodist Church, is like an extended family and provides an outlet for worship, cultural events, and community service. Practicing dentistry is very demanding physically and so, Dr. Knight stays in shape with daily exercise and Yoga practice. PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER WORK: The majority of Dr. Knight’s patients are fee-for-service which has blessed the practice. As a result, we are able to improve the access to care for others who have much less. By caring for the poor and disadvantaged Dr. Knight and her staff give back to the community in several ways. She has been a dental provider for children on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). She also volunteers for Manos de Cristo, an outreach ministry of El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Church, and the Theo Project funded by the St. David’s Foundation. Due to the unfortunate state budget cuts of 2003, the CHIP dental program was terminated. In its place we are now serving unemployed adults from Travis County who qualify for the Medical Assistance Program.