More than £900,000 will be spent on revamping dental surgeries in

Sussex, the Government announced today.

Health bosses in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex will receive a shared allocation of £504,977 from a £35 million modernisation fund.

And West Sussex will receive a total of 415,478 from the fund, which is ring-fenced for upgrading NHS dental practices.

The cash is expected to be spent on refurbishing and redecorating rundown surgeries and waiting areas, with dentists receiving up to £6,500 each.

New equipment to allow up-to-date treatments and better computer systems to speed up appointment booking will also be funded.

And children's play areas could be set up in some practices, along with improved access for disabled patients.

Health Minister Lord Hunt said the health authorities would have to ensure that funding favoured practices committed to treating patients on the NHS.

Dentists must contribute towards new projects and agree not to cut their registers of NHS patients.

It follows widespread alarm at the disappearance of NHS dental practices, forcing many patients to go private.

Lord Hunt said: "Patients expect to have high quality dental care in bright, modern surroundings delivered by well-trained staff using up-to-date equipment.

"This is a significant sum of money which is going to make a real difference to dental teams and their working environments. It can only benefit patients."

The health authorities will contact dentists to inform them of their share of the fund, based on the size of the practice and its commitment to the NHS.

The dentisits will then have to submit proposals which show how their NHS patients will benefit.

Ministers have pledged a total of £100 million to improve NHS dentistry as part of the Government's 10-year NHS plan.