An Ellis Class 1 fracture (enamel only) patient requests extraction and implant placement. The dentist believes this is excessive treatment. Which ethical conflict does this BEST represent?

Correct answer: C. Autonomy vs. non-maleficence

• A. Veracity (honesty) is not the primary concern when the patient is making an autonomous but potentially harmful choice.
• B. While beneficence is relevant, the core conflict is autonomy vs. non-maleficence — the patient wants something the dentist believes causes unnecessary harm.
• C. Correct. The patient's right to decide their own treatment (autonomy) conflicts with the dentist's duty to avoid unnecessary harm (non-maleficence). Extracting a tooth with a simple enamel fracture when no other treatment is necessary would be overly aggressive and potentially harmful.
• D. Justice (fair resource distribution) and beneficence (acting in the patient's best interest) are not the primary ethical tension here.