Giving up candy for a sweet deal
Halloween is the holiday dentists fear most. But now, there's a countermovement to get kids to give up their candy -- and some dentists are willing to pay. Renita Jablonski has more.
A boy dressed in a police costume who's looking pretty excited about his Halloween candy. (iStockPhoto.com)
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Scott Jagow: For kids, too much Halloween candy equals, stomach ache and of course, cavities. Dentists are always warning kids about this, but you know -- it goes in one ear and out the other. But money -- now, money talks. Even to children. Here's Renita Jablonski.
Renita Jablonski: Dr. Chris Kammer was sick of sending out the same old press release about the not-so-sweet affect of candy on teeth. He wanted to find another way to drill home that message.
Dr. Chris Kammer: Halloween, you know, the holiday that all dentists should dread, will now be the holiday that dentists will take back.
Kammer decided to buy-back the Halloween candy of kids in his Wisconsin neighborhood. For every pound, he handed over a dollar. He gave away more than $250 in '06, and sent the candy to U.S. troops in Iraq. Around 200 dental offices will give it a shot this year.
Jody Sullivan is helping with the program in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Her office ordered hundreds of light-saber toothbrushes as an extra bonus.
Jody Sullivan: I know all kids might not want to give up their candy, so there has to be a little bit of incentive I guess.
Kammer says along with toothbrushes, he'll have plenty of singles ready for tomorrow's buy-back.
Kammer: I want to have a thousand dollars in cash.
Hope the tooth fairy's listening.
I'm Renita Jablonski for Marketplace.
