about the dentist?

[notactuallyme]

for some time now, it has been apparent that dd (13) will need braces. The private dentist has not referred her until recently on the grounds that she didn't need them yet. So, referral letter goes and we get a response: we can wait 6 months for an nhs appointment or pay to see him asap. so, we pay for an assessment. she qualifies for nhs, but there is an 18 month waiting list, or a handy payment plan which ensures treatment starts now.
so, i feel that my dentist should have known about this waiting list (every dentist refers to this one) and referred her earlier, allowing her to get braces now iyswim?
all her friends are wearing them having waited for the last 18 mo.
aibu?

Whenever I see adults with really crooked teeth I always wonder why their parents didn't get them sorted out. I wore a brace between the ages of 13 and 15 and am so pleased I did. I would have been terribly self conscious about my teeth if I hadn't. I didn't have to wear headgear at night or have braces with rings on, so it wasn't a huge deal for me.

DD has a slight overbite that will need correcting. She is a little self conscious about it, but I will insist that she gets her teeth straightened when the time comes. The dentist won't do anything yet as she hasn't lost all of her milk teeth.

I think with all the children getting braces in time all adults will have perfect teeth.

Thanks sarah - dd is just upset that she will have to wait 18 mths when she could have one now ( at the same time as her close friends) bu we don't have 3000 to spare, even on a plan. What I think made me a bit irritated was that had she been referred a year ago, we would now only be 6 mths away. Oh well.