Dentists to buy back Halloween candy to send to troops

Wondering what to do with your child’s sweet haul from Halloween?

Area dentists are teaming up with a California nonprofit to buy back candy for a good cause, sending it to men and women in the armed forces.

Kids love to trick or treat, but when they come home with more candy than they could or should eat in a month, what do you do? You could ration it out, depending on whether the adults in the family have enough will power to keep the candy away from kids while resisting the urge to eat it themselves.

One solution is to sell some of that candy to a dentist. Yes, that’s right. Not only is this a "thing," it's a good thing that benefits more than your kids' teeth.

In 2007, a Wisconsin dentist contacted Operation Gratitude, which sends care packages to troops, about joining forces. That first year, 300 dentists from across the nation collected about 20,000 pounds of candy. In 2013 Operation Gratitude shipped its millionth Halloween care package, enough to make any ghoul smile. The program now includes schools, businesses, churches and individuals. Candy can be exchanged for cash, coupons, toys or dental products.

The candy will be included in care packages along with toiletries, snack foods and personal letters.

Individual dental practices decide how much they will pay, or what other incentive they'll use to get kids to part with the sweet stuff. But many go with $1 per pound. Check this site, Halloween Candy Buyback, to find a dentist near you, more than twenty metro dentists have already signed up.