I guess I'll be the one to rock the boat, since everyone else seems content with masturbation. So here's my viewpoint.
As for my family, we believe that sex is an amazing, healthy gift but that masturbation does not fit into the construct of sex, and that it can harm healthy sexual behavior. Not because sex is bad, cuz it isn't, and not because feeling good is bad, because it isn't. But because it can lead to self-serving, gratification-seeking sexual behavior, which can rob sex of its "special-ness" later in life.
At this age, yes - there is simply curiosity and they wonder what's down there - they usually never get access to it :p If she's POINTING to it as if she wants you to name it, then go ahead and name it - no big deal. But otherwise she's just exploring, and if you draw attention to her t******* h******, it will only ramp up her curiosity. The child-development person hit it spot on. If you keep taking their hands away, they'll just seek it more. At this age, she can definitely be redirected.
My daughter (19 months) doesn't touch herself that often at all, but when she does, I don't make a big deal out of it and I usually hand her a book or a toy. I usually do this anyway, because she freaks out when I "restrict her freedom" while changing her diaper. Keep their hands busy during diaper changes (or potty training) and it cuts down on the problem quite a bit. I don't know yet what I'll do when she really starts touching (I'm a first-time mommy and haven't felt the need to research methods of dealing with it YET), or it becomes something uncomfortable, but I won't shame her or make her feel like she's being bad. When she's old enough to understand, I'll simply explain to her what a gift sex is, and how masturbation does not fit into that plan. If she chooses to ignore me and do things on her own, that's her choice and I can't force her, but until then I suppose I'll use redirection to the best of my ability - but I'm not going to tell my kid to go masturbate in her bedroom.
Hope that helps!