JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- There's only so much candy a child can eat after a busy evening of trick or treats.

This year, having leftovers can pay off with Cash for Candy.

Krantz Dental Care in Mandarin is buying back the Halloween treats. This week, any child can come in and swap their candy for cash.

If you were a hard-working trick-or-treater, here's where it pays off. The going rate is $1 a pound.

The Halloween candy is donated to troops serving overseas, and children can include their own messages.

"We had one child come in, and he wrote a note to one of the soldiers," said Adria Krantz, the office manager for Krantz Dental Care. "It says, "Happy Halloween! I hope you come back soon."

A dollar for every pound collected will also go to charity to the Feed a Needy Neighbor food bank.

Some children might be hesitant about turning over their Halloween spoils, so what other perks are there?

In addition to cash, the dental office is throwing in a light-up toothbrush, a dinner and a free dental exam.

All that for a bucket of candy.

The program might be keeping children out of the dentist's chair.

"Kids tend to eat candy all day and all night long," Dr. Alan Krantz said. "The problem is the teeth get bathed in acid, the acid makes holes, and they get cavities."

Krantz said it's better for children to get their fill of Halloween sweets in one sitting, and parents would likely agree.

Krantz Dental Care is buying back candy through Thursday. They are opened from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Last year they collected a total of 400 pounds of candy.