Every Australian child - and millions of low-income adults - will be eligible for subsidised dental care under an ambitious new Turnbull government plan.

Health Minister Sussan Ley has announced $5 billion in frontline dental health funding over the next four years, including $2.1 billion for what's being called the Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme, or caPDS.

But Labor says the government's announcement is "spin" that actually hides a $1 billion health cut.

The new scheme will provide more than 10 million Australians - all 5.3 million children aged under 18 and 5 million adults with Commonwealth concession cards - access to public dental through a single five-year agreement with the states. The deal will be enshrined in legislation to provide long-term certainty, Ms Ley said.