The government is planning to spend about $5 billion over four years subsidising a public dental scheme it hopes will provide treatment to more than 10 million people.

About 600,000 additional patients are expected to seek treatment when the national Child and Adult Public Dental Scheme is rolled out, Health Minister Sussan Ley said in a statement.

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The 5.3 million Australians younger than 18 as well as the estimated five million people on low incomes who hold a commonwealth concession card will be covered under the plan.

Under the proposals, the government will spend $5 billion, with $2.1 billion going to the states and territories.

“They can use the money to pay for private dentists, where service gaps arise,” Ms Ley said.

“The Turnbull government would also continue to invest heavily over the next four years in supporting dental patients through other means, such as the private health rebate, Medicare-funded in-hospital dental services and dental infrastructure in rural and remote Australia,” Ms Ley said.

“Poor dental health is the third highest cause of preventable admissions with more than 63,000 Australians hospitalised each year.”