Dr. Janice Wahl and her husband, Dr. Tim Wahl, are both doctors with University Dental Associates in Winston-Salem NC. Despite living just a block away in Gainesville FL and attending the same high school, they first met while studying at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. They married while attending dental school, and Tim completed his periodontal residency at UNC Chapel Hill. They both kept their NC licenses active in case they returned one day. After spending 25 years practicing dentistry in Melbourne Florida, that’s exactly what they did!
While both Jan and Tim have a passion for dentistry, the ability to maintain a flexible work schedule has allowed them to pursue their other passions as well. Jan is able to explore her passion for music, while Tim delved into the craft of winemaking.
Jan has always been musically talented, and started playing violin at an early age. She even spent 27 years playing symphony orchestra as part of the Brevard Symphony in Melbourne, FL. In the summertime, she spent a few years studying violin making at the University of New Hampshire.
Tim enrolled online at the University of California at Davis where he completed an online program in winemaking. He continued his studies, and achieved accreditation as a first level Sommelier. Completing the program online made it possible for him to continue practicing dentistry while exploring his newly discovered passion for winemaking.
Pairing their two interests was easy – and the dream to start their own musically inspired vineyard was born!
Crafting Something Special
“What makes violin building so special is the art – you must have a vision every step of the way of what you are working on, and be able to recreate that vision with your hands. All the curves and arches of the instrument must flow beautifully inside and outside, not just for the esthetics, but for the creation of sound. In some ways, that process is like dentistry – we learn how a tooth is shaped, and with that vision, we recreate that shape with our hands. For me, the most special part of violin building is the emotional day when it finally has strings – and you hear the sound created from hours, and hours of work. Music to my ears!”
Turning a Dream into Reality
“When family and friends learned of our plans to start a vineyard, there was a healthy mix of skepticism, awe and encouragement. In general, most people can’t fathom making such a big change. We spent a year looking at properties before settling on our current spot. When we bought the raw land, there were 5 wineries within an hour drive, and today there are 40. We planted in 2009, and built the winery in 2013 with our first harvest”.
Adagio Vineyards Comes to Life
“Adagio is a musical term meaning ‘slowly, with passion’ and it uniquely describes the enjoyment of both classical music and wine. Our wines are musically named, and the tasting room is built around violins and the classical music theme. Most importantly, we believe that those things in life we treasure most are meant to be savored, slowly, and with passion”.
At Adagio, Jan and Tim are able to highlight their creative side, just like in dentistry. They host a series of creative art classes with wine tastings, where attendees can make custom marble coasters with photos and artwork, bottle lights, cork art, and Christmas ornaments. They also host monthly violin duets featuring one of Jan’s hand crafted violins.
Achieving the Perfect Balance
“Although we were ready to set our retirement plans into motion, we were not ready to truly give up practicing dentistry. Working at UDA has enabled us to devote time and energy to our endeavor that we would not be able to do if we were running private practices. The group practice model has allowed us the freedom we needed to have a flexible schedule so we could begin to bring our dream into reality. In our roles at UDA, we both get to be part of an interactive group and do some teaching with the residents”.
Dentistry, violin making and winemaking require a similar set of skills. Attention to detail, discipline, creativity, and patience are essential. Each art also requires a tremendous knowledge base that goes beyond the question of “how?”, and more importantly into “why?” and “why not?” Each step of the process in either craft has a specific reason for being, and a direct impact on the final product – whether it is a violin, a bottle of wine, or a beautiful smile.
For more information on University Dental Associates, visit www.udadentistry.com
To learn more about Adagio Vineyards, visit them online at www.adagiovineyards.com
For information on dental careers at University Dental Associates, contact Doctortalent@amdpi.com
Life As OneADPI 