Longview dentist Dr. Hami Eid is taking a stand against the increase in cavities that pop up in the mouths of his little patients after each sugar-laden Halloween.

In the process, the owner of Happy Kids Dentistry is helping soldiers and sailors overseas.

The dental office is holding a Halloween Candy Buy-Back from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 2.

Dr. Eid, who has owned the practice since 2004 when he came from Portland to Longview, began researching the project after talking to his patients’ parents.

“We talked to the parents a lot and said, ‘What are you guys going to do with the candy? Are you going to eat all the candy?’ ” he said.

He was concerned with all the sweet treats children get during the holiday.

“We always saw an increase in cavities the two or three months after Halloween,” Dr. Eid said. “It’s anecdotal, not research-based.”

The dentist and his staff toyed with the idea of asking kids to donate their candy at the dental office. The sweets would then be sent to Operation Gratitude in California, a nonprofit organization that sends care packages to troops overseas.

Then Dr. Eid decided to sweeten the pot.

“We asked, can we do something better to basically attract more kids?” he said.

“We thought, we could pay them $1 per pound.”

In addition to the children getting a buck for each pound of the sweet stuff they bring in, they will also receive a tooth brush, a free kids meal coupon from Applebee’s and be entered into a drawing for an iPod Shuffle.

“One of our patient’s moms works at Applebee’s, and when she found out what we were doing, she said they want to help,” the dentist said. “We are very excited about the support we’re getting from the community.”

Dental assistant Brittany Dolph spearheaded the project for Happy Kids. She will be on site when the children bring in their goodies. She also is getting a poster for the kids to sign.

“That way, when the kids come in, they can write their personal notes (for the troops),” Dr. Eid said.

As soon as they can, the staff members will box up all the candy for shipment.

“That’s one thing, to box it right away,” the dentist said, laughing. “There are some weak souls in this office.”

Operation Gratitude will separate the candy and distribute it appropriately to troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations.

“It’s like a taste of home,” Dr. Eid said. “Candy coming back from home. It will make them feel a lot better.”

Dolph said she got excited about the project after hearing how many ways the candy can help the men and women of the military.

The troops will usually pick their favorites from the candy, then give the excess to the children of the communities where they are stationed.

Many times, that gesture engenders so much good will, that the children and their parents will share important information about the locations of bombs.

“Not only are we giving the troops a piece of home,” Dolph said. “But we are helping to save their lives, in a sense.”

Anyone who would like to donate to offset the costs of shipping the candy to California can do so by calling Happy Kids Dentistry at 636-1900 or by visiting the office at 1717 Olympia Way, Suite 108.