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Dental Practice Offers Money for Halloween Candy
Swap encourages kids to think about healthy teeth
By Lacie Grosvold
ANCHORAGE - Monsters and ghouls aren't the only things some people find frightening about Halloween. One local dentist is afraid of what it can do to your teeth. Dr. Terry Preece of the Happy Smile Center wants to buy kids' candy.
He's offering youngsters $1 per pound for the candy they collect trick-or-treating.
This is the first time he's trying the project in Anchorage. He recently moved from Utah, where he says in the first year he collected more than 600 pounds.
Preece says he knows one day of the year won't destroy the kids teeth, but selling their candy is a way to establish healthy habits. He's buying the candy so kids won't eat it. That's why he hasn't found a place to donate his candy to. In the past, he says he gave it to an organization making wreaths out of candy. He hasn't found a worthy cause here.
He says he's been surprised at the reaction from youngsters who want to swap the cash for a new toy or gadget. "It's actually kind of amazing the first few years we did it how eager they were. They didn't seem to mind at all. And were excited to have a little cash instead of the candy," he said.
The Happy Smile practice will be buying back candy on November 1 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at its location on the Old Seward Highway.
