Fluoridated community water — which ethical principles come into CONFLICT when mandating public water fluoridation?

Correct answer: B. Beneficence and autonomy

• A. Justice involves fair distribution — the main ethical conflict here is individual autonomy vs. collective benefit.
• B. Correct. Water fluoridation creates a conflict between BENEFICENCE (the public health benefit of reducing caries in the community) and AUTONOMY (the individual's right to decide what they consume or what goes into their body). Citizens cannot individually opt out of fluoridated municipal water, which conflicts with the principle of autonomous decision-making.
• C. While justice considerations exist, the primary ethical tension is between doing good (beneficence) and individual choice.
• D. Non-maleficence and beneficence can coexist (fluoride at proper levels is both beneficial and non-harmful) — the tension is with autonomy.