David Forner, MD, MSc

 David Forner
Clinical Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Otolaryngology Education Lead
Medical School
Available to mentor
David Forner, MD, MSc
David Forner
Clinical Assistant Professor
  • About
  • Qualifications
  • Center Memberships
  • Research Overview
  • Recent Publications

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    • About

    Dr. Forner is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Michigan. Clinically, Dr. Forner is a Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgeon.

    Dr. Forner received his Bachelor of Science with Honors from the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada. He graduated from Dalhousie University Medical School in 2013, having received several academic honors. He then completed residency training in Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery at Dalhousie University, during which he completed a Masters in Clinical Epidemiology within the prestigious Institute for Health Policy, Management , and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. Doctor Forner completed fellowship training in Advanced Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Surgery at the University of Michigan.

    Qualifications
    • Master of Science (MSc)
      University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
      2019 - 2020
    • Doctor of Medicine (MD)
      Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
      2013 - 2017
    • Bachelor of Science in Biology (BSc)
      University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
      2008 - 2012

    Center Memberships
    • Center Member
      Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation
    • Center Member
      Center for History, Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Ethics in Medicine

    Research Overview

    Dr. Forner has a diverse research interest within Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, including in decision-making, clinical trials, patient reported outcome measures, and economic evaluation. His primary research focus is on shared decision-making, decisional conflict, and decision regret amongst patients with head and neck cancer.

    Recent Publications

     See All Publications
    • Journal Article
      Carcinoma ex Pleomorphic Adenoma: Multi-Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study
      Kassalow BP, Prince A, Gray E, Bullock M, Noel CW, Taylor M, Corsten M, Hart R, Al Afif A, Forner D. Michigan Journal of Medicine, 2026 Feb 25; DOI:10.3998/mjm.8858
    • Journal Article
      FDG-PET–Based Selective Deescalation of Chemoradiation in Human Papillomavirus–Related Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Phase II Trial
      Mierzwa M, Rosen B, Suresh K, Dinesh A, Regan S, Brummel C, Wong K, Casper K, Prince M, Malloy K, Shuman A, Chinn S, Cao Y, Aryal M, Heft-Neal M, Stucken C, Buchakjian M, Forner D, Yalamanchi P, Swiecicki P, Lawrence TS, Akhdar R, Tewari M, Bhambhani C, Walline H, Brenner JC, Shah J, Worden F. Clinical Cancer Research, 2026 Feb 15; 32 (4): 684 - 693. DOI:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-25-2820
      PMID: 41385605
    • Journal Article
      Perioperative Outcomes in Antegrade, Retrograde, and Extracapsular Approaches to Parotidectomy in Benign and Malignant Neoplasms
      Prince ADP, Schaaff C, Forner D, Oslin K, Smith J, Alevato MM, Hershey E, Chionis L, Neal MEH, Prince MEP, Chinn SB. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery United States, 2026 Feb 1; 174 (2): 438 - 449. DOI:10.1002/ohn.70112
      PMID: 41503816
    • Journal Article
      Needs Assessment for a Decision Aid in Oral Cancer Requiring Major Resection and Reconstructions
      Forner D, Taylor V, Corsten M, Rac VE, Meerai S, Shuman AG, Tzelnick S, Martino R, de Almeida JR, Goldstein DP. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery United States, 2026 Jan 1; 174 (1): 120 - 127. DOI:10.1002/ohn.70071
      PMID: 41252604
    • Proceeding / Abstract / Poster
      Postoperative shoulder dysfunction following latissimus dorsi versus pectoralis major flap reconstruction
      Tikhtman R, Hasan D, Gao R, Buchakjian M, Casper K, Chinn S, Forner D, Malloy K, Prince M, Stucken C, Yalamanchi P, Heft Neal M. 2025 Oct 13;
    • Journal Article
      Tumor Hypoxia and CD8+ T-Cell Infiltration in Patients With Advanced Laryngeal Cancer
      Smith JD, Gensterblum-Miller E, Forner DWA, Yalamanchi P, Buchakjian MR, Chinn SB, Shuman AG, Casper KA, Malloy KM, Stucken CL, Mclean SA, Mierzwa ML, Shah J, Swiecicki PL, Worden FP, Prince MEP, Spector ME, Brenner JC, Heft Neal ME. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery United States, 2025 Sep 1; 173 (3): 645 - 650. DOI:10.1002/ohn.1291
      PMID: 40323140
    • Journal Article
      Carcinoma ex Pleomorphic Adenoma: Multi‐Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study
      Kassalow B, Prince A, Bullock M, Neal MH, Hart R, Afif AA, Forner D. OTO Open, 2025 Jul 11; 9 (3): DOI:10.1002/oto2.70147
    • Journal Article
      Decision Analysis in the Management of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.
      Daud A, Chahal J, Tong J, Naimark DM, Whelan DB, Forner D, Apt E, Hoit G. Cureus, 2025 May; 17 (5): e83860 DOI:10.7759/cureus.83860
      PMID: PMC12148804

    Featured News & Stories

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    Health Lab

    Addressing body-image distress in head and neck cancer patients

    Michigan Medicine joins a clinical trial led by Medical University of South Carolina, who has developed a disease-specific cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) called BRIGHT that’s targeted toward head neck cancer patients with body image distress, a common problem.