Until now, the measurement techniques used for the dielectric characterization of materials require severe limitations in terms of sample shape, size and homogeneity. This paper considers the dielectric permittivity measurement as a non-linear inverse scattering problem. Such an approach allows to identify the quantities to be measured and suggests possible experimental arrangements. The problem is shown to be significantly simplified if the shape of the material is known and if some a priori knowledge of the averaged value of the permittivity in the material under test is available. Two test cases have been selected to illustrate the state of the art in solving such inverse problems. The first one consists of a two-dimensional configuration which is applicable to cylindrical objects, and the second one to a vector three-dimensional configuration applicable, for instance, to cubic samples. The main limitations of such an inverse scattering approach are discussed and expected improvements in the near future are analysed.