Dr. Susan Averitt

Dr. Susan Averitt graduated from world famous Little Rock Central High School.  She attended Millsaps College in Jackson Mississippi.  She went to medical school at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.  She completed her residency in pediatrics at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, TN where she served as chief resident.  

Dr. Averitt has practiced general pediatrics in Sherwood, AR; McAlester, OK; and Northwest Arkansas.  Since 2006 she has practiced at the Willow Creek location.  In March 2018, she became a physician owner of Best Start Pediatric Clinic. 

Dr. Averitt is married to Derrick and together they are raising three lovely daughters-- Kennedy, Brooklynn, and Carington.  Dr. Averitt says, “being a mother has been a perfect fit for me as a pediatrician.   "I may not have all the answers, but I know how it feels to be a mom.”  

She is interested in all aspects of pediatrics, believing that a child’s health and wellbeing are affected by many factors.  What she enjoys most is becoming a part of the child’s team of loving adults.  “I love to support new moms in breastfeeding.  I like encouraging families to read together.  I enjoy educating about nutrition, development, discipline, and safety. 

It is great to be able to watch children grow up and families evolve.  ​Outside of work Dr. Averitt enjoys spending time with family and friends.  She is involved in the community supporting schools and local events.  She and her family have several charitable organizations in memory of her daughter, Cameron, who died in 2006 at the age of five.  Because Cameron loved books and reading, they collect children’s books and share them with kids who might not otherwise have their own books to read.  

They have a little free library at Butterfield Elementary School and supply books for Best Start’s Reach Out and Read Program.  They have a memorial fund that supports children’s charities.  

Dr. Averitt is the founder of Parents Left Behind, an organization that supports parents who have lost a child.