Chula Vista Dental Assistant Student Finds New Direction at UEI After Years of Uncertainty

Jason Balbuena felt like he was stuck in a cycle he couldn’t quite break. He worked overnight shifts in a warehouse, moving packages through the quiet hours of the night. While the pay was steady, the work left him exhausted, and the routine offered no clear path forward.

“I was making decent money, but I was tired all the time,” Jason said. “And I didn’t really see a future in it.”

Before that, he had tried community college multiple times with the intention of studying biology. Each time, however, he eventually dropped out. Without a clear direction, he found that traditional school simply couldn’t hold his attention.

This period of uncertainty lasted for several years until Jason began searching for something different. That search led him to UEI College in Chula Vista. He enrolled in the Dental Assistant program, and rather than growing bored, he became completely absorbed in the material.

Now several months into the program, Jason maintains a nearly perfect GPA while gaining the focus and confidence he says he’s never had before.

Searching for a Clear Career Path

Jason’s journey to UEI didn’t begin with a master plan. Like many people balancing work and education, he struggled to stay committed to a traditional collegiate path while working demanding overnight shifts. After leaving school multiple times, he stepped away from the classroom altogether for nearly four years.

During that time, the monotony of warehouse work began to take its toll. “I felt stuck, to be honest,” Jason said. “It felt like I was doing the same thing every day without really going anywhere.”

While searching online for trade schools and career programs near his home, he discovered UEI’s Chula Vista campus. The proximity was a game-changer; being close to home meant he could balance work and school without the stress of a long commute. He scheduled a campus tour, which helped him envision a future he hadn’t considered.

“When I visited, I really liked the facilities and the environment,” Jason said. “They showed me the labs and introduced me to the instructors. It felt like a place where I could actually learn something useful. I like working with my hands and I wanted to be in healthcare, so I decided to give dental assisting a try.”

Discovering a New Motivation

Since starting the program, Jason says school feels entirely different than it did during his community college days. Instead of juggling general education courses, he is focused solely on the skills used in dental offices every day.

“It’s a lot easier to absorb the information when everything you’re learning is related to the field you want to work in,” he said.

The hands-on training has been a major highlight. Students learn how to assist dentists during procedures, pass instruments correctly, and take impressions—all skills that prepare them for a real clinical environment. Jason credits much of his success to his instructors.

“They demonstrate everything first, and then we get to practice it ourselves,” he said. “You can tell they have real experience in the field.”

One instructor who has made a significant impact is Patricia Humphrey. Jason noted that she focuses heavily on the hands-on techniques required in dentistry. “She shows us how things are done in a real dental office,” he said. “Seeing how she handles everything gives us a vision for our own careers.”

The supportive atmosphere has also been key to his persistence. “I feel included every day. It’s not like I’m just one person in a class; everyone is learning together.”

That motivation has paid off. Maintaining a top-tier GPA is a milestone Jason never thought possible. “In high school, I remember getting a 12 out of 100 on a final exam,” he said with a laugh. “Back then, I didn’t care about school at all. Now, it’s completely different.”

Jason is already looking toward the future. While his immediate goal is to gain experience as a dental assistant, he hopes to eventually advance his education to become a dental hygienist.

“I definitely want to continue moving up,” he said. “I could see myself in business management or orthodontics.”