A dentist provides a higher-level treatment plan only to patients with better insurance coverage. Which ethical principle does this most directly violate?

Correct answer: C. Justice

• A. Beneficence (acting in the patient's best interest) may also be violated, but the core issue here is the inequitable distribution of care quality based on financial status.
• B. Veracity relates to truth-telling and honesty with patients, which is not the primary concern here.
• C. Correct. Justice requires that patients be treated fairly and equitably. Providing superior treatment plans based on insurance status rather than clinical need violates the principle of distributive justice.
• D. Autonomy relates to respecting the patient's right to make informed decisions, not to how treatment plans are distributed across patients.