A rare condition leaves one Arlington teenager wondering if she will ever have a smile, so a group of residents determined to give her one.

Hannah Ferris, 14, has Ectodermal Dysplasia, a genetic disease that prevents her from growing adult teeth.

Hannah said she understood her condition at age 10.

"I felt like my world was going to end," she said.

Ectodermal Dysplasia is a group of genetic disorders that affect the normal development of parts of the body, said Hannah's pediatric dentist, Michael Oppedisano DMD, MS.

The effects of the disease include a lack of baby and/or adult teeth, brittle hair and an inability to produce sweat - all of which Hannah has, Oppedisano said.

Oppedisano, who also specializes in prosthodontics, said at the age of 6, Hannah's diagnosis first came from a lack of baby teeth.

Unless Hannah receives a certain procedure, the bone in her mouth will begin to deteriorate once all her baby teeth fall out, Oppedisano said.

Through the procedure, about 10 to 12 upper and lower implants would be placed in her mouth to support a new set of teeth, Oppedisano said.

Oppedisano said the implants would help support the bone in her mouth and keep it from deforming over time.

However, time is critical.

"The longer we wait, the more we risk losing bone," Oppedisano said. "The success of the procedure becomes compromised."

A group of Arlington business professionals decided to help Hannah by taking matters into their own hands.

Eric Uzelac, vice president of Arlington Business Connections, an organization of networking professionals, said he was able to meet Hannah through a group member who knew her personally.

Although the organization's main goal is to help Arlington professionals be successful, Uzelac said the organization decided to direct that goal toward the community and created an initiative, Help Hannah Smile, to raise money and awareness for Hannah.

"We have everything thing we need in this group to make something happen for this little girl," Uzelac said.

Uzelac and other business professionals have helped developed a website, helphannahsmile.com, and a Facebook pagethat gives people an opportunity to learn more about Hannah's condition and ways they can help.

According to the website, Hannah and her mother have been struggling to raise the $50,000 needed for the procedure.

Uzelac said the campaign plans to launch a benefit event on Hannah's birthday, March 22, at J. Gilligan's Grill on Abram Street.

Uzelac said he anticipates that individuals and organizations will commit to being long-time supporters of Hannah's cause as well as be willing to donate items for the raffle during the event.

Hannah, who calls Oppedisano "Dr. O," said she is inspired by her dentist and aspires to be a dentist and a pilot.

She said she is overwhelmed by the amount of support she's received so far and is looking forward to gaining confidence from the procedure.