Dr. Ryan Whalen

Dr. Ryan Whalen came to Lake Norman in 2007 planning to chase a career as a professional golfer, with dentistry as the side gig. The golf plan didn’t last, but the practice he opened on Catawba Avenue in Cornelius — from scratch, at the bottom of the 2008 recession — is still going strong nearly two decades later.

Ryan talks with Jeff about why starting a business at zero during a downturn was less terrifying than it sounds, how Whalen Dentistry is built around eliminating stress points for anxious patients, the cosmetic work he’s most proud of, and why he has no interest in growing into a high-volume “dental mill.” Plus: the tight-knit team he credits for most of it.

Whalen Dentistry

About the host:

Jeff Hamm is the visionary behind The Best of LKN – a media platform that has been spotlighting and promoting the most adored local small businesses and nonprofits in the Lake Norman area since 2020.

Jeff’s also an expert Lake Norman real estate broker who brings deep expertise in premium neighborhoods and strong ties to the region’s top builders, designers, and service providers.

Jeff Hamm
Real Estate Broker

Lake Norman, North Carolina
www.LKNreal.com

Banner Elk, North Carolina
www.BannerElkLiving.com