Halloween Candy Buyback 

Chris Kammer, a dentist from Wisconsin, came up with an ingenious idea for keeping kids from gorging on candy until springtime. He offered by buy back his mini-patients' leftover sweets for $1 a pound with proceeds going to charity. It quickly became a national sensation, with more than 2,000 dentists participating in every state. In 2017, 122,000 pounds of candy were sold to dentists by tiny treaters. Most of the loot was sent to troops overseas, who gave it to local children to help build relationships.

Participating dentists in Nassau neighborhoods include Drs. ...

• Madeleinne Zapantis and Katherine Meshkati in Manhasset
• Steven Boral in Franklin Square
• Todd Kshonz in Lynbrook
• Straight Set Orthodontics in Garden City
• Newman Orthodontics in Roslyn Heights
• Sonkin Dental in Elmont
• Bitton Orthodontics in Rockville Centre
• Kleinrock Orthodontics in Hewlett and Long Beach

In Suffolk, check out ...

• Long Island Small Smiles in Stony Brook
• Babylon Smiles
• Dr. Farra Issacson in Holtsville
• Drs. Perratto and Chimenti in Smithtown

Operation Gratitude

You can send candy directly to deployed troops, first-responders, and veterans by securing it in zip-closed bags or boxes lined in plastic and dropping it off at one of several locations, including East Northport Middle School and Dr. Glen's Happy Teeth in Long Beach.. Remember not to send powdery sweets such as pixi-sticks, and to separate candy from other donations. You can also ship it directly to Operation Gratitude, Attn Halloween Candy Program, 21100 Lassen St., Chatsworth, California, 91311-4278.

Operation Shoebox

Operation Shoebox donates packages to troops overseas who are celebrating holidays away from home. Collect bags of wrapped, heat-resistant candy and ship them to Operation Shoebox, 8360 East Highway 25, Belleview, Florida, 34420.

Houses of Worship

Some local houses of worship, including Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church in Mineola and St. Aidan's food pantry, part of the the Catholic parish in Williston Park, will collect your unwrapped candy and donate it to the less fortunate. Call before visiting.