Actually, you can send SMS from your iPad to anyone, just like your iPhone can text non-iPhone users. It's a complicated multistep process to set it up, but here goes:
First, make sure you're signed into iMessage on your iPad in Settings > Messages > iMessage.
Jump over to your iPhone and confirm you're signed into iMessage and iCloud with the same account here, too.
Still on your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.
Inside Text Message Forwarding, flip the switches to enable sending text messages on one device at a time. Then look at that device – you'll see a confirmation number that you'll have to enter on your iPhone. This ensures you've got physical access to both devices at the time you're setting it up.
Confirm the link by typing the code and you're finished!
Hope this helps! Leave a comment if it doesn't.