Ethics & Law · single question
What is the ethical principle of autonomy in healthcare?
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Correct answer: A. The right of patients to make informed decisions about their own care
Autonomy is the ethical principle that recognizes a patient's right to make informed, voluntary decisions about their own healthcare, free from coercion. In dentistry, autonomy is operationalized through informed consent — the dentist provides complete and accurate information about diagnosis, treatment options, risks, benefits, and alternatives, and the patient decides based on their own values and preferences. Autonomy also encompasses the right to refuse treatment. Beneficence (acting in patient's best interest), justice (fair resource distribution), and non-maleficence (do no harm) are the other three core bioethical principles.