What is worth a million dollars and doesn’t cost a cent? A smile, of course, and Cardiff-by-the-Sea offers three dentists to make pretty smiles possible.

In the unique round, brick building at the corner of Liverpool and Newcastle Drive, Kent Howard has offered much more than pretty smiles since 1991. He received his training at Oregon Health Science University and spent one year in the Navy before practicing in Mira Mesa for 13 years. He chose dentistry because he came from a medical family and wanted to work closely with people and see results. He chose Cardiff-by-the-Sea because he wanted a small, personalized community office close to home.

When he is not working he likes to ride bicycles, he sponsors Swami’s Cycling Team, he rides Harley Davidson motorcycles, he is a member of the Harley owner group, and he enjoys his Labs. He has two children in college.

Less than a block away on Newcastle between the library and the post office, the charming little gray house is the office of Dr. Deborah Morgan, who chose dentistry because she wanted to work in the health care profession and dentistry allowed her flexibility as well as the ability to help others. She got her BS, DDS degree at Loma Linda University in 1987 and on Nov. 1 it will be 20 years since she started her practice in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. She says: “A person would have to be crazy to choose any other place.”

She thinks relaxing is a state of mind and she can be relaxed when she is working. She likes diving in Fiji, doing artistic things such as painting, drawing and making jewelry and doodads, as well as gardening and cooking.

Just across Birmingham in the stately Cardiff Executive Centre is the office of Dr. Mally Zomorrodi, where she offers both general and cosmetic dentistry. She says she chose dentistry because, “I like to help people in pain, alleviate their suffering and help them to look good.” Her basic dental training was in Iran and she continued her education in UCLA, USC and Loma Linda University. Her first office was in San Diego, where she still practices part time, and she, like Dr. Howard, came to Cardiff-by-the-Sea in 1991. She says she likes the area because it is quiet, beautiful and the people are very friendly.

She relaxes by painting, enjoys sports and is a Padres fan. She is married and has two children.

Dr. Howard, Dr. Morgan and Dr. Zomorrodi are three more reasons that Cardiff-by-the-Sea is a “smiling” place to call home.