Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading bacterial cause of sexually transmitted disease worldwide. A vaccine for C. trachomatis remains elusive, in part, due to the lack of understanding of the immunological factors which must be elicited by an effective vaccine. The central finding in the immunobiology of chlamydial infections is that a CD4+, IFNγ producing T cell (Th1) is essential for clearance of infection. Despite this understanding, the cellular factors which induce this response are largely unknown. Dendritic cells (DC) compromise a heterogeneous group of immune cells which dictate the formation of T cell responses. This work demonstrates that two distinct DC subsets respond in a genital model of Chlamydia infection: a conventional (cDC) and plasmacytoid (pDC) subset. These two subsets show distinct capacities for induction of T cell responses to chlamydial infection. cDC are well positioned for the induction of Th1 responses whereas pDC do not affect the protective response. Alternatively, pDC modulate distinct populations of T cells which have the potential for regulation of immunity (T regulatory cells) and promotion of non-protective inflammation (IFNγ-producing CD8+ T and NKT cells). These findings have immediate relevance towards the design of a C. trachomatis vaccine by dictating the DC subsets which should be targeted for protective and non-protective responses.