The 19-year-old played in a reserve game for Leyton Orient against Wimbledon on Wednesday and hopes to secure a contract with Paul Brush's side.
"It is not too disappointing because I know it happens and I was ready for the worst," he admits.
"I knew a few weeks ago but I carried on training until I could find somewhere else."
Indeed, if Leyton Orient don't take him on, he could remain at Upton Park until his contract runs out in the summer.
Dean adds: "If they don't take me I will return to West Ham; I will just have to see what happens, but Leyton Orient would be ideal.
"I spoke to Tony Carr and said I need to be playing because I hadn't played in the previous couple of games.
"I asked if I could go somewhere else to get a game and he said that would be all right."
Dean, who lives in Stratford, knows he has to impress quickly if he is to get a move and he says: "I haven't been there that long so I will just take it as it comes.
"The first match was a 0-0 game and I thought it went all right; it is a nice set up over there.
"All I want to do is play football; I have got another couple of games coming up and hopefully over Christmas they will tell me what is going to happen."
Dean, like fellow young stopper Steve Laurie this week, knows that the statistical chances of coming through the youth ranks into the first team were slim, and he concludes: "The competition is really high at a Premiership club - I will just have to go down and work myself back up."