Ethics & Law · single question
A dentist, frustrated with repeated noncompliance, stops treatment without notice or referral. Which ethical principle is MOST clearly violated?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Non-maleficence
- A. INCORRECT. Justice concerns fair distribution of care and resources, not abrupt discontinuation.
- B. INCORRECT. Beneficence is acting for the patient's good. It is closely related, but abandonment is framed primarily as causing harm.
- C. CORRECT. Abandoning a patient mid-care without notice or referral exposes the patient to harm, violating non-maleficence (do no harm).
- D. INCORRECT. Veracity is truthfulness, which is not the central issue here.