Hey kids, let’s use that Halloween candy for good [The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City]

Oct. 30--If you're reading this blog post, you're probably not of the trick-or-treating age. I'm guessing you might have a child, niece/nephew or grandchild who is, though.

Well, that kid can do something good with his or her Halloween candy (besides give it to you).

A local dentist office is participating in a national effort to send Halloween candy to troops overseas. Called Operation Troop Treats, the program encourages children to bring their Halloween candy in to the Midwest City Kool Smiles Dental Office in exchange for a toy. The candy will then be sent in care packages to U.S. troops serving overseas via Operation Gratitude.

Here's how you can participate:

-- The Midwest City Kool Smiles office is participating from Friday, Nov. 1 to Wednesday, Nov. 6 during open office hours.

-- Every child that comes in can receive one toy for every 25 pieces of unopened candy in its original intended packaging.

-- The program is open to everyone, regardless of whether they are a Kool Smiles patient.

-- There is a limit of three toys per child and toys will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

-- The Midwest City Kool Smiles office is located at 1200 South Air Depot Rd., Midwest City, 73110.

Here is a press release with more details about the program:

Oklahoma City Kool Smiles Office Offering Toys in Exchange for Halloween Candy

Second Annual 'Operation Troop Treats' Encourages OK City Kids to Send their Halloween Candy to Troops in Exchange for a Toy

Kool Smiles, a leading provider of quality dental care in Oklahoma City, is coordinating for the second year a program designed to give OK City kids' teeth a post-Halloween break. Called Operation Troop Treats, the program encourages children to bring their Halloween candy in to the Midwest City Kool Smiles Dental Office in exchange for a toy. The candy will then be sent in care packages to U.S. troops serving overseas via Operation Gratitude. In 2012, more than one ton of candy was donated by children for the troops at Kool Smiles offices nationwide, with 81 pounds of that collected from the local Kool Smiles office in Midwest City, OK.

"An overload of treats can do some damage on kids' teeth," explained Kool Smiles Managing Dental Director for Oklahoma, Dr. Diane Earle. "Around Halloween, children are consuming more candy and with this increased frequency of sugary and sticky candies, many kids are increasing their risk of getting cavities or making existing oral health problems worse. This program not only raises awareness of good dental hygiene and encourages parents and children to reduce the amount of sugar they are exposing their teeth to, but it also hopefully uplifts our armed forces serving abroad who will receive Halloween candy-filled care packages, along with dental kits and oral health guides to ensure our troops have healthy, happy teeth as well."

In addition to the exchange program, Kool Smiles is donating 100 dental care packages for troops, as well as the funds to cover the assembly and shipment of 200 care packages.

The Midwest City Kool Smiles office is participating from Friday, November 1 to Wednesday, November 6 during open office hours. Every child that comes in can receive one toy for every 25 pieces of unopened candy in its original intended packaging. The program is open to everyone, regardless of whether they are a Kool Smiles patient. There is a limit of three toys per child and toys will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. The Midwest City Kool Smiles office is located at 1200 South Air Depot Rd., Midwest City, 73110.

While brushing twice daily and getting regular dental checkups is important for people of all ages, Halloween is a good time for parents to pay close attention to their children's dental health. Good oral care can not only prevent complex and expensive procedures but contribute to a child's overall health and well-being; poor oral health can contribute to significant health issues such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes as children grow older.

For more information on the program, please visit http://www.mykoolsmiles.com/trooptreats.

About Kool Smiles

Kool Smiles is dedicated to creating a world of happy, healthy smiles. As a leading dental health provider, Kool Smiles' mission is to improve lives by providing high quality dental care in a fun, compassionate environment. Kool Smiles dentists are proud to offer care to kids and adults with almost any insurance plan, including State Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP), Medicaid and Tricare. Kool Smiles also provides oral health education programs through partnerships with community schools and organizations. For more information, please visit www.mykoolsmiles.com.

About Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions, to their children left behind, and to Veterans, Emergency First Responders and Wounded Warriors. Operation Gratitude's mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member's face and express to our Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people. Since its inception in 2003, Operation Gratitude volunteers have shipped more than 980,000 packages to American Military members.

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