Pocono News Section

Save a Tooth, Treat the Troops

Save a Tooth, Treat the Troops - Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:21AM EST

Reported by: Mark Hiller
Friday, Oct 30, 2009 @ 11:21am EDT
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - A Scranton dentist is celebrating Halloween by giving back to the community.
And it all has to do with kids handing over their Halloween sweet treats to him.
Kids will get cash for giving up their candy.
But it's what the dentist plans to do with that candy that'll teach kids more than just the risk of tooth decay.

Trick or treaters strut their Halloween stuff at the Howard Gardner School in Scranton.
Parents and grandparents gather to watch the school's annual student Halloween parade.
Many of these kids will wear these costumes this weekend when they go door to door and get more candy than they could imagine.

(Glenda Brown/Grandparent)
"Most of them probably get a couple pounds of candy and it's crazy," Glenda Brown of Springville said while laughing. "It's absolutely insane if they are allowed to put all that inside them."

And if they eat too much they may have to make an unexpected trip to the dentist.

"A little bit isn't that bad, but when you put a lot of it into a kid's mouth in a short period of time, which is what happens after Halloween, that's when the real damage can be done," said Dr. Scott Pettinato, DMD of Pettinato Dental Care on Oak Street.

That's why Dr. Scott Pettinato decided to do a patriotic Halloween candy buy back -- paying kids a dollar a pound for the treats then sending that candy to local troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We like to call it a win, win, win. The kids are going to get a couple of dollars. We're going to give them a dollar a pound for the candy. They're going to get rid of some of the candy that we know doesn't do the best for them and then we're going to put a smile on the face of hopefully some soldiers," said Dr. Pettinato.

Since kids seem to get so much candy at Halloween, parents and grandparents are impressed that a dentist is willing to buy back some of that candy and make good use of it."

"I think it's a great idea. They don't need all the sweets," said grandparent Marie Petrini.

Hope Laycock thinks it's an idea her 6-year-old daughter would support.

"She probably doesn't like giving away a whole lot of it but she will for a good cause, I think," said Laycock.

A cause that may save a few young smiles here and provide a treat for the troops.
Pettinato Dental Care will run the Halloween candy buy-back program Monday through Friday, November 2nd to the 6th.
Pettinato Dental Care will host a costume kick off party Monday afternoon from 3:00 to 5:00 at at Keyser Avenue and Oak Street.
You can log onto www. pettinatodentalcare. com or call (570) 558-9911 to find out more about participating in the Halloween candy buy-back program.