Rhona Brankin has included measures to improve the health of children's teeth

In an announcement on Wednesday, Ms Brankin said that there would be an additional �150m for NHS dentistry over the next three years.

She also said Scotland would have the largest supervised tooth brushing programme in Europe with 120,000 children brushing at school daily.

Nationalists welcomed the increased funding but called for more detail.

The promises made by Ms Brankin include:

• An additional 400,000 people will be registered with an NHS dentist by March 2008.

• Measures will be introduced to make dental registration a continuing and not a time-limited system.

• A range of recruitment and retention measures will be introduced, including a new bursary scheme for dental students, subject to a commitment to NHS dentistry for five years after graduation.

• Dental practices which meet agreed standards will qualify for a new rental (or equivalent) reimbursement scheme.

• Every child in Scotland will have access to dental care on starting nursery by March 2008.

The minister also said that red tape will be cut, with a simplification of the fees system for dentists and from 1 April 2005, NHS boards will be given authority to appoint directly salaried dentists.

Ms Brankin said that the current shortage of NHS dentists had stemmed from bad decisions made in the past.

She added: "Our poor oral health stems from generations of neglect. We cannot expect to solve all the problems overnight."

Addressing MSPs at Holyrood, Ms Brankin said that the move was one of the biggest shake-ups of NHS dentistry in Scotland since the creation of the health service in 1948.

'Appalling record'

She said: "In parts of Scotland, more than six out of 10 children have dental disease by the age of three.

"I am absolutely determined to turn that around. The measures we are introducing will mean that 60% of children born today will have no dental decay by the time they reach the age of five."

SNP health spokeswoman Shona Robison welcomed the increased funding available but said the "devil is in the detail".

I don't think that the British Dental Association will agree that �50m a year is what they need to attract dentists back Nanette Milne Conservative health spokeswoman

She said: "What concerns us about today's announcement is that the deputy health minister refused four separate opportunities to set out specific details of the plans, including the fee level for carrying out free dental checks.

"Given that the current level does not even cover the cost of treatment, dentists need reassurance that this will change for the better.

"Without this dentists will not sign up to deliver dental checks and the pledge to deliver these free to all by 2007 will not be met."

Conservative health spokeswoman Nanette Milne said there were "a lot of welcome things within that statement", but took issue with the level of investment.

The dental profession wants increased funding

She said: "I have to say I don't think that the British Dental Association will agree that �50m a year is what they need to attract dentists back into the service. They've clearly stated they think they need more than double that."

Mike Rumbles, the Liberal Democrats' health spokesman said the move was the biggest shake-up dental services had seen since the NHS was formed.

He said: "There's no doubt that this plan produced by the executive will, in our view, solve the dental crisis which has engulfed the north east in particular and affected every part of Scotland."

Labour backbenchers also threw their weight behind the announcement.

Elaine Smith MSP said she welcomed the "excellent statement" which she felt would be welcomed across Scotland.