In dentistry, which principle is associated with education and working within one’s scope?

• A. Non-maleficence
• B. Beneficence
• C. Justice
• D. Autonomy

Answer: (A)

Non-maleficence, the obligation to avoid harming patients. In dentistry, education and staying within your scope are essential to meet this duty because they ensure you have the competence to perform procedures safely. When you work only within what you’ve been trained for and seek additional education before expanding your practice, you reduce the risk of causing harm. Beneficence aims to do good for the patient, but the safety-oriented restraint of non-maleficence is what guides the need for proper education and scope. Justice concerns fairness, and autonomy focuses on respecting patient choices, but neither captures the safety boundary that education and scope impose.