Beach orthodontist: donate Halloween candy and help charity

  VIRGINIA BEACH -- The candy collected by trick-or-treaters each Halloween brings plenty of smiles, but the candy donated to Tidewater Orthodontics after Halloween will help change lives.

The orthodontist practice, which has four doctors in offices in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk, is supporting the nonprofit organization Smiles Change Lives through the 2010 Candy Exchange.

Smiles Change Lives helps children from low-income families receive braces. The program, based in Kansas City, has treated more than 1,200 children since 1997.

For each pound collected, Tidewater Orthodontics will donate $1 to Smiles Change Lives. Their goal is 1,000 pounds of candy. During the week following Halloween, Nov. 1-5, Tidewater Orthodontics will accept donations of candy in exchange for goodie bags containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, coupons and other items.

“We want to show them that other things are fun to put in a goodie bag besides candy,” said Candice Navas, marketing coordinator for Tidewater Orthodontics.

“The staff will be dressed up the day after Halloween, and we hope people come in with their Halloween spirit, too,” Navas said, noting people are welcome to make a monetary donation if they do not go trick-or-treating.

Dr. Curtis W. Dailey, who is in the practice with doctors Howard S. Dorfman, R. Glenn Owens and John O. Ashby, thought the candy exchange would be a win-win situation for all.

“Our ultimate goal is to get kids braces who otherwise wouldn’t get them,” Dailey said. “We also want to call attention to tooth decay and try to prevent kids with braces from damaging them during Halloween time.”

A raffle will be held for door prizes, and a special prize will be given out to the person who brings in the most candy.

Navas assures they have a plan for the collected candy, too.

“We will not be sitting here eating their candy,” she said. All of it will be donated to troops serving overseas.