A Dual Calling: Tammie Ton’s Unconventional Path to Service

Dr. Tammie Ton knows her path to practicing law isn’t “normal,” but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her passion for helping others has guided every step of her professional journey, leading her to two careers that allow her to do what she loves most: uplifting her community.

Tammie began her career as a general dentist before transitioning to pediatric dentistry and later earning a master’s degree in public health. Her clinical work exposed her to children and families in vulnerable situations, and she found herself searching for new ways to advocate for her patients beyond the dentist’s chair.

“As a pediatric dentist, I am working at a hospital … I work with children in foster care, and I also see and treat people who are from low-income and immigrant families,” said Tammie. “I’ve always gravitated toward the community and helping people who are more vulnerable.”

Those experiences inspired her to find new ways to advocate for others beyond the dentist’s chair. For Tammie, law school was the next logical step.

“I felt that law school would give me the skills I needed so I could help other people,” she said.

Now, as a newly licensed attorney, Tammie is building a community-focused law practice that includes civil litigation, personal injury, and landlord/tenant cases, as well as work in animal law. She also represents a variety of clients pro bono.

Balancing two professions might sound daunting, but Tammie embraces it. Her established dental career gives her the freedom to take on the legal matters that mean the most to her.

“I love going to work because I’m at a place right now in my career where it’s my choice,” she said. “I feel very established in my dental career, so that gives me leeway to start focusing on my law career … And with the law, I feel like I can help people who don’t necessarily have the money to hire a lawyer … I can take those cases because I believe in them.”

Through both professions, Tammie continues to focus on advocacy—whether she’s providing direct care to children and families or addressing the systemic barriers that affect them.

Beyond her professional roles, Tammie is also active in the legal community as part of the California Lawyers Association’s New Lawyers Section. There, she’s helping shape programs that support other early-career attorneys who are still finding their path.

As she continues to grow in her dual careers, one thing is certain: her passion for helping others will remain at the heart of everything she does.

By blending healthcare and law, Tammie is charting a path that few have walked before. It may not be a “normal” journey, but it’s an important one; proving that when passion and persistence come together, the possibilities for change are limitless.