Colorado Springs dentist collecting trick-or-treat candy for military families

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A Colorado Springs dentist is paying kids to donate their extra trick-or-treat candy for a good cause.

"It seems like it's more and more each year you see kids walking around with 15-20 pounds of candy and that’s just way too much for any kid to consume in and of themselves," said Dr. Michael Coughlin at Blue Springs Family Dental.

All of the candy brought to Blue Springs Family Dental will go to troopers overseas. Children who donate candy will also get a dollar per pound of candy they bring in.

"We send it overseas to troops to help give them a taste of home," said Coughlin.

He said this is a way for him to support the Pikes Peak Area's military community.

"It's just a great cause. Obviously, Colorado Springs is a big military town so just about anyone who lives here knows someone that’s involved in the services, and it’s just a really good reminder to pay tribute to the beautiful place that we live," said Coughlin.

For Coughlin, it's a way to help kids with their dental health.

"Dental decay is a big epidemic just with processed sugars that are out there contribute quite a bit to dental disease. Want to have kids enjoy their Halloween, but don’t want them to have any dental disease that arises from that," said Coughlin.

The office will be collecting candy until Thursday.

The location of the office is provided below: