Which principle emphasizes the importance of providing benefits while minimizing harm?

The principle that emphasizes the importance of providing benefits while minimizing harm is known as beneficence. This ethical concept focuses on actions that promote the well-being of individuals and communities. In the healthcare context, including dental care, beneficence guides practitioners to act in the best interests of their patients.

Practitioners are encouraged to provide beneficial treatment options and to ensure that the benefits of any intervention outweigh the potential risks or harms. This principle embodies a proactive approach to health care, where the provider actively seeks to improve patient outcomes and enhance quality of life.

In contrast, while nonmaleficence is concerned with avoiding harm to patients, beneficence extends beyond that to include the active pursuit of good outcomes. Similarly, the principles of justice and autonomy relate to fairness in distribution of healthcare resources and respecting individuals' rights to make their own decisions, respectively, but they do not directly capture the balance of benefit versus harm like beneficence does.