Our mission is simple: "We are dedicated to helping people with hearing loss through professional, quality care with compassion, kindness and understanding. We put our trust in God and look to Him for guidance in everything we do, realizing we can do nothing without Him." 

Our Business

We opened the doors to Patriot Center for Hearing Loss, LLC, in September 2004. Teresa Stepp, AuD, is the audiologist and co-owner. Her sister, Denise, is the Office Manager/Insurance Clerk/Accounts Payable/Receptionist (you get the picture!) and her mother, Gerri, works part-time. We are a family owned and operated private practice audiology clinic with a united goal to help people hear better. We firmly believe in treating others as we would want to be treated.  We have been blessed to be embraced by the healthcare community, earning the respect and trust of area physicians and healthcare providers. Our largest referral source, however, is our patients. We are so pleased and humbled when new patients tell us their friends or family members recommended us. Dr. Stepp has the highest degree attainable in her field but continues to attend seminars, classes and workshops relevant to the field of audiology and practice management. We believe continuing education and on-going training ensures we are treating our patients with the latest in audiology care and hearing aid technology. Our office is conveniently located on Highway 92 between Jefferson City and Dandridge.  Our office hours are Monday through Friday (9 am to 5 pm Monday through Thursday and 9 am to 12 pm on Fridays). Walk-ins are always welcome. Appointments are recommended for your convenience with little or no wait time. Physician referrals are not required for an appointment; however, your insurance may require a referral for compensation. We will gladly file insurance claims for you. Most insurances cover hearing evaluations, at least in part, but many do not cover hearing aids. We will be happy to check on this for you if you are not sure.   

  Teresa Stepp, AuD

          Biography

Credentials:

I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Communicative Disorders in December of 1992 from East Tennessee State University and my Master of Science Degree in Audiology in December of 1994.  I later obtained my Doctorate Degree in Audiology in August of 2002 from the University of Florida.  I hold a Tennessee State License in Audiology and a Certificate of Clinical Competency in Audiology and a Certificate of Competency in Tinnitus Care. I am a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Tinnitus Practitioners Association.

Experience:

I was the Educational Audiologist for Hamblen County Schools for 6 years. During this time, I also served as a Parent Advisor for Tennessee Infant Parent Services (TIPS), which provided in-home services to parents of children with disabilities. In 2001, I became the managing Audiologist at a private practice Audiology clinic, Greeneville Hearing Center, in Greeneville, TN. I then started my own private practice, Patriot Center for Hearing Loss, in Jefferson City, TN, in September of 2004.

Background:

I have lived in this area all my life and I don’t believe I would choose to live anywhere else. My husband, Tony, and I have traveled all over the United States but always enjoy coming home to East Tennessee. We share a love for animals and currently have 3 cats and 3 dogs and occasionally foster others until we are able to find them homes of their own. (If you have room in your hearts and in your life for a pet, just give me a call and I’ll certainly help find one that is just right for you!) 

I have one sister, Denise, who works with me. My mother also helps out and still lives nearby in the home I grew up in. My father passed away on April 18, 2001. He is one of the main reasons I chose this particular field. My dad had hearing loss in one ear for as long as I can remember. This made it particularly hard for him in situations with a lot of background noise or when in a group of people talking. I remember having to be sure to get his attention if I wanted to tell him something, always mindful to speak on the side of his "good ear". When in a group of people, he would often just be sitting there quietly, while everyone else was talking. Others thought he was just taking it all in but when I would meet his eyes, he would shrug his shoulders as if to say, “I have no idea what they are talking about. Do you?” Pretty soon, I noticed he didn’t socialize as much as he used to. I really didn’t know then that it may have been because of his hearing difficulties but now, I think that probably had a lot to do with it. As the hearing in his better ear began to deteriorate, he seemed to become more withdrawn. I don’t think he even realized himself how much his hearing loss was affecting him. He was told many years ago that nothing could be done for his hearing and he hung on to that. By the time I was into my Audiology program and knew that something probably could be done, we discovered that he had a benign growth in his middle ear (a cholesteatoma) that had literally eaten away the bones inside. Surgery might help prevent further damage but would not restore his hearing.  Sadly, if he had only had it checked sooner, something could have been done to prevent the degree of deterioration. He later developed lymphoma of the lungs and did not survive. My dad was a Christian man. I feel assured of this by his spoken testimony and the life he lived. I believe miracles come in many forms and I accept his passing as a healing of his body, though I miss him every day. 

I don’t want to see someone else missing out on precious opportunities….chances to share conversations with loved ones, to laugh at stories that get bolder with each re-telling, or to hear whispered secrets from cherished grandchildren. I didn’t get the chance to help my dad, but with God’s guidance, I will do my best to help others enjoy all the wonderful sounds life has to offer.