Many people are unable to find an NHS dentist

But the opposition attacked the timing just before the election. Conservatives and Plaid Cymru called it a bribe, and Lib Dems said it was "shameless".

The British Dental Association, which says there is a crisis in Wales and other parts of the UK, welcomed it.

Labour Health Minister Brian Gibbons said action had to be taken before a new dental contract next in April 2006.

We cannot wait that long to take action Health Minister Brian Gibbons

The money will pay for "personal dental schemes," which Dr Gibbons said would let dentists and local health boards introduce local contract arrangements.

Dentists who take part will be compensated as they will receive less money than usual.

Dr Gibbons said: "I have been concerned for some time about the difficulties people in some parts of Wales face in accessing dental treatment on the NHS.

Around 300 patients queued when an NHS practice opened in Carmarthen

"I am committed to introducing a new primary care dental contract by April next year but we cannot wait that long to take action."

The new scheme, he added, would let dentists get off the existing "treadmill" payment system. They would be able to improve services through local contact arrangements with a preventative approach to dental care.

He also said dentists taking part would be "paid for quality rather than quantity".

England has already had personal dental schemes for some two years Robert Jones, British Dental Association

The problems surrounding dentistry have led to huge queues in an effort to sign up at practices. Some 600 people waited outside a Carmarthen dentist in 2003, and 100 did the same in Llangollen last year.

Dentists have also been offered "golden hellos" to set up in Wales. But the BDA has said costs associated with a rural practice are higher than in towns and cities.

Half the population of Wales is not registered for NHS dental care.

The problem is particularly bad in rural parts of the country, which have seen people travel long distances for treatment or form lengthy queues for the few NHS places which have become available.

A little bit of cash announced over the election period will not hide the major cavities in New Labour's health policy Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru

Robert Jones of the British Dental Association in north Wales said: "We welcome any new money - and it's got to be new money, and not diverted from elsewhere.

"I quite agree that 12 months is quite a long time to wait for the new contract. England has already had personal dental schemes for some two years.

Higher quality treatment

"One problem is on one hand they say 'we want you to spend some more time with the patients and improve quality' and on the other 'we want you to increase the number of patients registered with you'. They don't quite go together."

Labour are trying to bribe the electorate by using the assembly to announce a funding scheme such as this in order to bolster Labour support Jonathan Morgan, Conservative

Mr Jones said time would be freed by seeing some patients less often, but that would be taken up by providing higher quality treatment, and there would be very little time to take on extra patients.

Welsh Conservative health spokesman and Cardiff North candidate Jonathan Morgan said: "There is an established convention that announcements of this sort will not be made by the assembly government during a general election campaign.

"Labour are trying to bribe the electorate by using the assembly to announce a funding scheme such as this in order to bolster Labour support.

"Mr Blair said everyone would have access to an NHS dentist five years ago. That has clearly not happened in Wales or anywhere else in Britain.

The plan has no teeth, we are no given a timescale nor told where the money comes from Kirsty Williams, Liberal Democrat

Liberal Democrats said it was Labour's "latest electioneering stunt," with no detail and "bypassing the fundamental step of introducing a new primary care dental contract".

Welsh Lib Dem health spokesperson Kirsty Williams said: "This announcement of better access to dental services is only a shameless piece of electioneering.

"The plan has no teeth, we are no given a timescale nor told where the money comes from.

"The minister says he's been concerned about this issue for some time. In the time he has taken to wake up Wales has suffered."

Plaid Cymru's health spokesperson and Caernarfon candidate Hywel Williams said: "A little bit of cash announced over the election period will not hide the major cavities in New Labour's health policy.

"There is a gaping hole in New Labour's plans and this election bribe will not bridge the gap.