Mongrain and Berkshire Dental Group have a goal of buying 2,000 pounds from those participating in Trade Your Treats.

This is the fourth year for the event where the dental group asks kids to bring in their Halloween candy, and for every pound of candy they have, they will receive $1.

While Mongrain and associates know kids will still eat some of their Halloween treats, they are hoping to curb the mass amounts.

"We're trying to be realistic so the message we're trying to deliver is a little candy is OK, a lot of candy is bad," Mongrain said.

When kids show up at the dental office their candy will be weighed, and based upon the weight will receive their monetary prize, plus a dental health kit, including a tooth brush and other oral hygiene products.

Mongrain said on average they receive 3 to 7 pounds of candy per person -- about a big bowl full.

Their record for one person's amount is 47 pounds.

They began this drive after deciding to do their part in helping fight increasing childhood health problems.

"Our annual Trade Your Treats promotion helps raise awareness of the fact that foods with a high sugar content have become increasingly prevalent in children," Dr. Mark Hodge said. "This high sugar intake can result in childhood obesity, early onset diabetes as well as be harmful to children's teeth."

In years past, the dental group has paired up or made donations to different charitable groups.

This year they have paired up with the Juvenile Diabetes Resource Foundation.

For every $1 the dental group gives to a child, they will donate $1 to the foundation.

Mongrain said pairing up with the organization was an obvious choice.

"The idea is that all that candy and sugar consumption also affects children's overall health, not just getting cavities," he said.

Nikki Defalco, special events coordinator for JDRF, said any fundraising event is beneficial to the organization, but it's special that it is in regards to Halloween.

"Halloween is a really tough time for children with diabetes," Defalco said.

Mongrain said that they hope to teach an important lesson.

"It's the message of being reasonable, being healthy, while you're having fun," he said.

Once they have finished collecting the candy, all will be thrown away.

"Some people would like us to donate it somewhere," he said. "As a matter of principle, I feel like we need to" dispose of it.

Trade You Treats

Where: Berkshire Dental Group, 8701 S. Garnett Road.

For more: Call 250-9528.