La Rioja declares Oral Surgery positions as difficult to fill

The Presidency of the Riojan Health Service has declared the positions of Area Specialist Physician in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at San Pedro Hospital as “difficult to fill,” a measure that will allow them to be offered in specific selection processes through a competitive merit system. This decision is detailed in the Resolution of September 2, 2026, published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja number 171, dated September 7, 2026, in section II Authorities and Personnel (official reference BOR-A-20260907-II–1013).

The declaration is based on the Report of August 28, 2026, from the Healthcare Assistance Directorate of Hospital Care, which proposed the “difficult to fill” declaration for statutory healthcare physician positions. The regulatory basis is Article 16 of Law 9/2025, of December 29, on Fiscal and Administrative Measures for the year 2026 of the Autonomous Community of La Rioja.

Scope of the declaration

The resolution affects the statutory healthcare physician positions in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery assigned to San Pedro Hospital, the community’s main hospital center. By being classified as difficult to fill, these positions may be offered in specific selection processes via a competitive merit system, a procedure that streamlines provision compared to the ordinary competitive examination.

Permanency conditions

Those who pass the competition must effectively join the awarded position and remain uninterruptedly in active service for a minimum period of three years to acquire the status of permanent statutory personnel, in accordance with Article 16.4 of Law 9/2025.

• Effective incorporation into the awarded position.
• Minimum stay of three years in active service.
• Acquisition of permanent statutory personnel status upon completion of the period.

Validity of the measure

The effects of the declaration extend from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2029. The resolution, signed in Logroño on September 2, 2026, by the Manager of the Riojan Health Service, Luis Ángel González Fernández, by authorization of the Presidency, is published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja for general knowledge.

The measure responds to the difficulty of filling medical specialties with a shortage of professionals in the public health system and seeks to guarantee the continuity of specialized healthcare in oral and maxillofacial surgery in the Riojan community.

Source: Official Gazette of La Rioja, no. 171, September 7, 2026, section II. Authorities and Personnel, page 15307 (official reference: BOR-A-20260907-II–1013).