The Scottish Executive has pledged 150m of investment over the next three years in what has been described as the biggest shake-up of the dental service since the NHS was created in 1948.
Measures in the three-year reform plan include:
* Every child to have access to dental care on starting nursery by March 2008
* Distribution of free toothbrushes and toothpaste to over 120,000 children in private, voluntary and local-authority run nurseries
* Supervised daily tooth-brushing at nurseries and schools across the country
* Replacing fizzy drinks provision in all schools and nurseries with water and milk.
Scotland has a poor record for oral hygiene, and in parts of the country more than six out of ten children exhibit some form of dental disease by the age of three. The measures introduced in the new plan aim to ensure that 60 per cent of all Scotland's five-year-olds will be free of dental disease by 2010.
A spokeswoman from the Scottish Executive said, 'The supervised tooth-brushing programme is already up and running in some parts of Scotland, and when it is extended it will be the largest programme in Europe.
'A dental nurse will provide training for nursery and school staff to ensure children brush their teeth properly at least once a day.'
Deputy health minister Rhona Brankin said, 'Improving the oral health of our children must be our priority. Prevention of tooth decay is far better than cure. That is why we are investing so heavily in children's dental care.'
The plan also aims to improve adult dental care. Free dental checks will be available for all adults by 2007 and an extra 200 dentists will be recruited by 2008.