Dr. Dennis Hugh George Forrester – Family Doctor | Mississauga, ON

Dr. Dennis Hugh George Forrester is a Family Doctor. Practicing at a family doctor practice in Mississauga, ON, he is dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive, and patient-centered family medical care. He is registered with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) and practices in accordance with the standards set by this regulatory body and the principles of modern family medicine. His focus is providing continuous and comprehensive primary medical care for individuals and families across all ages and stages of life. This includes preventative care, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses, and management of ongoing health needs, serving as the central point for patient care. He serves patients of all ages, from newborns and infants through to children, adolescents, adults, and seniors.

Dr. Dennis Hugh George Forrester completed his Medical Degree. He brings valuable clinical experience to the practice. He has developed skills or a strong interest in areas such as comprehensive primary care within family practice. He is also dedicated to ongoing professional development to stay current with the latest advancements in family medicine.

Key aspects of his practice philosophy include fostering continuity of care and building long-term relationships with patients and their families, providing a trusted medical home; a dedication to preventative medicine and health promotion, aiming to identify risks early and support patients in maintaining long-term wellness. He provides consultations in English.

Dr. Dennis Hugh George Forrester provides comprehensive family medical care for a wide variety of health concerns affecting patients of all ages, including but not limited to:

Preventative Health Topics

• Infectious Disease Prevention & Outbreak Management Support (Community Level): Administering vaccinations to prevent communicable diseases and playing a role in community-level surveillance and reporting as required by public health authorities.
• Occupational Health Screening & Advice (Basic Pre-placement, Return-to-Work): Primary care support for general occupational health questions, routine employment-related medical screenings, and facilitating a safe return to work after illness or injury.
• Comprehensive Lifestyle Counseling (Diet, Exercise, Sleep, Stress Reduction): Guidance on making sustainable lifestyle modifications for improved energy levels, healthy weight management, better mood regulation, reduced risk of chronic illness (heart disease, diabetes, cancer), and enhanced longevity and quality of life.

Common Acute Conditions

• Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs - Cystitis, Pyelonephritis - uncomplicated initial): Management of bladder and kidney infections with appropriate antibiotics based on likely pathogens and local resistance patterns, along with advice on prevention strategies for recurrent UTIs and symptom relief.
• Gastrointestinal Infections (Gastroenteritis, Food Poisoning): Managing acute episodes of vomiting and diarrhea to support recovery, ensure adequate hydration, and rule out more serious underlying causes.
• Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs - Colds, Flu, Sinusitis, Pharyngitis): Addressing symptoms such as cough, sore throat (including rapid strep testing where available), nasal congestion, facial pain/pressure, and fever associated with common URTIs.

Dermatological Skin Conditions

• Benign Skin Lesion Assessment & Management (Skin Tags, Seborrheic Keratoses, Cysts, Lipomas): Primary care management of common, non-cancerous skin lesions, including reassurance and simple removal procedures where appropriate and within scope.
• Acne Vulgaris (Mild to Moderate) & Rosacea Management: Personalized treatment plans for acne and rosacea based on severity, skin type, patient preference, and potential impact on self-esteem.
• Bacterial Skin Infections (Impetigo, Folliculitis, Cellulitis - uncomplicated): Effective antimicrobial therapy for common bacterial skin infections to resolve infection, prevent spread, and alleviate associated symptoms.

Adult Common Health Issues

• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) - Initial Assessment & Management: Providing initial management strategies for RLS, including lifestyle modifications (e.g., regular exercise, good sleep hygiene, avoiding caffeine/alcohol close to bedtime), checking and correcting iron deficiency (ferritin levels), and considering pharmacological options (e.g., dopamine agonists like pramipexole/ropinirole, gabapentin enacarbil) for moderate to severe, frequent symptoms that significantly impact sleep or quality of life. Referral to neurology or sleep specialist for complex or refractory cases.
• Anemia (Iron Deficiency, Vitamin B12/Folate Deficiency - Diagnosis & Management): Managing common types of nutritional anemia such as iron deficiency anemia (oral or intravenous iron supplementation, dietary advice to increase iron intake and absorption, investigation for source of chronic blood loss if suspected - e.g., GI bleed, heavy menses) and megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 or folate deficiency (oral or parenteral supplementation, dietary counseling, investigation for underlying causes like pernicious anemia, malabsorption syndromes - celiac disease, Crohn's, post-gastric surgery, medication effects - metformin, PPIs).
• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) Infection - Testing & Eradication Therapy: Prescribing evidence-based eradication therapy regimens (typically involving a combination of antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor - PPI) for confirmed H. pylori infection, according to local guidelines and resistance patterns. Providing patient education on medication adherence and potential side effects.

Joint Muscle Pain

• Mechanical Low Back & Neck Pain (Acute, Subacute, Chronic - Uncomplicated): Helping patients understand the nature of their mechanical spinal pain, empowering them with self-management techniques, and discouraging reliance on passive treatments or unnecessary imaging for uncomplicated cases, in line with clinical practice guidelines.
• Fibromyalgia & Other Widespread Chronic Pain Syndromes - Primary Care Diagnosis & Multimodal Management: Working collaboratively with individuals experiencing chronic widespread pain to develop personalized self-management strategies, set realistic functional goals, and coordinate care effectively with other healthcare providers such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and rheumatologists (for diagnostic confirmation or complex cases).
• Gout & Pseudogout (Crystal Arthropathies) - Acute Attack Management & Chronic Prevention Strategies: Diagnosing (often clinical, supported by serum uric acid levels; joint aspiration for crystal analysis if diagnostically uncertain or to rule out septic arthritis) and managing acute gout or pseudogout attacks with appropriate anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs like naproxen/indomethacin, colchicine, oral or intra-articular corticosteroids).
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) - Diagnosis, Management & Monitoring (Often with Rheumatology Co-Management): Often co-managed with or referred to rheumatology, especially for atypical presentations, diagnostic uncertainty, difficulty tapering corticosteroids, frequent relapses, or suspected GCA. Primary care plays a key role in ongoing monitoring, patient education, and supportive care for PMR.

This list offers some examples of common conditions managed in family practice. A diagnosis is always based on an individual assessment by Dr. Forrester. If your specific health concern isn't listed, please contact the clinic to discuss your needs.

• Assessment & Management of Anxiety, Depression & Mood Disorders: Providing comprehensive assessment, empathetic counseling, lifestyle advice (exercise, mindfulness, sleep hygiene), evidence-based medication management (e.g., SSRIs, SNRIs), and facilitating timely referrals for psychotherapy (CBT, DBT, etc.) or psychiatric consultation for common mental health conditions.
• Travel Medicine Consultations (Preventative Advice & Routine/Travel Vaccinations): Providing pre-travel consultations for individuals travelling to common international destinations. This includes risk assessment based on itinerary, advice on food and water safety, insect bite prevention (malaria, dengue, Zika), altitude sickness prevention, and administration of necessary routine and travel-specific vaccinations (e.g., Hepatitis A/B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever if certified). Complex itineraries may require referral.
• Comprehensive Periodic Health Exams (Check-ups): Regularly scheduled check-ups to monitor overall health, update immunizations, perform age-appropriate screenings, and provide personalized lifestyle counseling.
• Routine Health Check-ups & Physicals for Adults: Comprehensive care focused on health promotion and disease prevention throughout adulthood.
• Patient Education on Specific Health Conditions & Self-Management: Ensuring patients and their families understand their medical conditions and treatment plans, encouraging active participation in their own care.

Note: This list highlights some of the key services offered by Dr. Forrester. For a comprehensive understanding of all services, or to discuss your specific health needs, please schedule a consultation.

All services are provided in accordance with the scope of practice for Family Doctors in ON and the ethical and professional standards set by The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

At Dr. Dennis Hugh George Forrester's practice, family medicine is centered on a collaborative partnership to help individuals like you achieve significant improvements in your health, manage ongoing conditions effectively, and enhance your overall well-being. Dr. Forrester frequently works with patients towards goals such as:

• If their child having recurrent nosebleeds that seem excessive has put reliably getting a full night of good quality, restorative, and uninterrupted sleep on a consistent basis, which is absolutely foundational to their overall physical health, emotional balance, cognitive function, and daytime productivity on hold, Dr. Forrester works with patients toward successfully navigating the initial emotional and practical challenges of a new, unexpected serious diagnosis with his consistent, empathetic support, reliable information, and proactive care coordination, helping them regain their previous level of function.
• Many patients have successfully addressed experiencing panic attacks and wanting to find ways to manage them with Dr. Forrester's support. This often leads to noticeably reducing their reliance on, and need for, urgent care clinics or hospital emergency room visits for conditions that are now being effectively managed or prevented through proactive, continuous, and comprehensive primary care with him and the ability to fully participate in successfully pursuing further formal education, challenging vocational training programs, or self-directed learning initiatives to achieve important personal growth objectives or significant professional aspirations once more.
• For patients where feeling a lump in their breast or armpit that needs to be examined is a concern, Dr. Forrester focuses on plans that lead to benefiting from his proactive and systematic approach to mental health screening and discussion during routine visits, leading to earlier identification and support for emerging psychological distress, supporting their ability to joyfully and responsibly taking care of beloved family pets, which includes activities like daily walking, regular feeding, grooming, active playtime, and providing necessary veterinary care.
• Overcoming or managing needing support to cope with a new diagnosis of a chronic illness for themself/themselves or a family member is a common patient journey at Dr. Forrester's practice. The focus is on enabling successfully and completely completing a course of treatment for an acute infection (like pneumonia or a significant skin infection) or a new condition under his diligent, meticulous care and important follow-up monitoring, so that engaging in actively and successfully participating in continuing education programs, challenging professional development courses, or confidently pursuing new and exciting career opportunities with sustained vigor, focus, and good health becomes a reality again.

Your personalized healthcare plan, developed in discussion with Dr. Forrester, will be thoughtfully designed to help you reach your specific functional, preventative, and wellness objectives. He believes in empowering patients with the knowledge and support needed to take an active role in their health journey.

Dr. Forrester practices at a family medical clinic in Mississauga, situated in the Lakeview West neighborhood. The clinic is conveniently located near Bradley Museum and is accessible via MiWay (Mississauga Transit). Free patient parking is often available on-site or on nearby streets.

Do I need a referral to see a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON?

Generally, you don't need a referral to see a family doctor in Ontario if they are accepting new patients. However, finding a family doctor who is accepting new patients can be challenging. Resources like Health Care Connect, your local health unit website, or the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website may be helpful in your search. A referral from a family doctor is usually required to see specialists.

What exactly is a family doctor (Family Doctor) and what is their role?

Your family doctor (Ontario) is your primary healthcare provider, expertly trained to care for a wide spectrum of health issues, from newborns to seniors. He manages acute illnesses and injuries, oversees the care of long-term chronic diseases, provides routine health screenings and lifestyle counseling, administers vaccinations, and ensures you get access to specialized medical services through referrals when needed. The continuity of care he provides, understanding your health history and individual needs, is fundamental to effective family medicine.

How can I find a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON who is accepting new patients?

Finding a family doctor in Ontario who is accepting new patients can take time and effort. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario often has a 'Find a Doctor' tool or list on their website. In Ontario, you can register with Health Care Connect. Ask friends, family, or colleagues for recommendations. Contact local community health centres or new patient clinics directly.

How often should I see Dr. Forrester for a check-up or physical exam?

The recommended frequency for check-ups with Dr. Forrester varies based on your age, overall health, existing conditions, and risk factors. Generally, healthy younger adults may need check-ups less frequently (e.g., every 2-5 years if no concerns), while children, older adults (e.g., annually over 65), or those with chronic conditions may need more frequent visits (e.g., annually or semi-annually). Dr. Forrester follows established provincial guidelines for specific screening tests. Discuss your individual needs with him to determine the best schedule for your preventative care.

Is seeing a family doctor (Family Doctor) covered by Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) in ON?

Medically necessary visits to a family doctor are typically covered by OHIP for eligible Ontario residents with a valid health card. However, some services (e.g., cosmetic procedures, most travel medicine consultations, sick notes, insurance forms, driver's medicals) may not be covered and may have fees. Confirm with the clinic if you have questions about specific services or fees.

How long do appointments with Dr. Forrester typically last?

Appointment times vary depending on the reason for your visit. A quick follow-up might be 10-15 minutes, while annual physicals or complex issues may require 30 minutes or more. Be specific about your needs when booking to ensure sufficient time is allocated.

Unit Unit 1, 333 Lakeshore Road West, Unit 1
Mississauga, ON, L5H 1G9

Phone: (905) 274-7066

Dr. Dennis Hugh George Forrester is regulated by the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 & Medicine Act, 1991 (Ontario) in ON and is a registered member in good standing with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

Registration Number: 31303

Verify registration with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO): https://doctors.cpso.on.ca/DoctorDetails/Forrester-Dennis-Hugh-George/0026480-31303

Family doctors like Dr. Forrester are skilled in managing a wide range of health issues. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. It is always recommended to maintain open communication with your family doctor about all aspects of your health, including any treatments received from other practitioners.